Taoiseach Simon Harris said facts must be established on the issue of Israeli munitions passing over Ireland as the Opposition pushed for “full” answers.
Speaking to reporters at the Irish embassy in Paris, following a bilateral meeting with President Emmanuel Macron, the Taoiseach was asked about reports that flights carrying munitions for the Israeli military had flown over Irish sovereign airspace
He said the Department of Transport was engaging with the Israeli carrier in question. He again reiterated that no consent had been sought from the government for any overflights.
“I think it’s really important that the facts are established. What I have been informed consistently is that no applications have been sought, consent, if you like, for such transport, to take place over Irish airspace. Once the facts are established, it would be up to the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Defence to provide a further update on this, and I’ll certainly be keeping in contact with both of them.”
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Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald wrote to Mr Harris calling on him to provide “full answers” to media reports that four Israeli-operated aircraft transporting weapons flew through Irish airspace in the first six months of 2024.
Online news site The Ditch reported that almost 65 tonnes of military material has been carried on the three flights. In a further report on Tuesday, it also said that a fourth Israeli-bound flight had carried 27 arming devices for use in Arrow 3 missile interceptors. It has based its reporting on documents released by Belgian authorities to an NGO located in Antwerp.
In a statement on Monday, the Department of Transport said it was aware of recent media reports regarding the use of Irish sovereign airspace by a civil air operator reported to be carrying munitions.
“Officials are verifying the data being reported and are in the process of engaging with the carrier. This will require further time,” it said.
Ms McDonald said the onus was on the Taoiseach to clarify the matter.
“Israel is waging a genocidal war on the people of Gaza. The idea that Israel would brazenly violate Irish airspace to transport weapons and munitions used to commit these atrocities is unacceptable. It would also represent a conscious and grave breach of Ireland’s neutrality by the Israelis,” she said.
In a statement, Ms McDonald said she wrote to Mr Harris last week on the matter and asked a number of questions of him. “I have yet to receive a reply,” she said.
Mr Harris said he had discussed the war in Gaza and the need for an immediate ceasefire with President Macron at the Élysée Palace.
“Ireland’s record, the people of Ireland’s record, and the record of the Government of Ireland in relation to the situation in Gaza is crystal clear, whether it’s how we vote at the UN, how we vote at the EU, recognition of the State of Palestine, calls for the trade agreement between the EU and Israel to be reviewed.
“Ireland has taken many practical steps to support the people of Gaza, to support the people of Palestine, and even today, here in Paris, we are continuing those diplomatic efforts.
“It’s really hard to find words to fully capture the scale of the humanitarian crisis [in Gaza]. President Macron and I share the view that there needs to be an immediate ceasefire. I reiterated my view that there is an onus on the European Union and the United States to use every lever at their disposal to maximise the pressure to bring about a ceasefire.
“And I know that President Macron is working intensively, and wishes to work intensively, with European partners to try and bring about a ceasefire as well, because the only way forward in the Middle East is obviously a two-state solution, an end to the violence, the release of all the hostages, and to allow for aid to flow freely.”
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