The Taoiseach has said he was surprised and concerned by the Department of Foreign Affairs’ failure to properly report the number of US military overflights of Ireland since November.
An Irish Times investigation has found there were almost 250 more US military aircraft flights over Ireland than previously disclosed by the Government since last summer.
The 248 flights include military transport aircraft, troop carriers and surveillance aircraft.
The figures show a 56 per cent increase in US military overflights of Ireland last month as the US launched a barrage of strikes on Iran. Overflights increased from 32 in February to 50 in March, the highest number since last summer.
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Following queries from The Irish Times, the Department of Foreign Affairs – which had not reported these flights – attributed the underreporting of overflights to an administrative error.
“I’m concerned about the administrative error by the Department of Foreign Affairs,“ said Micheál Martin on Monday at the launch of a housing project in Dublin, “that’s not normal for the Department of Foreign Affairs. It’s a very efficient, professional department.
“They’ve expressed regret in terms on that.”
Martin said the Government and people of Ireland wanted the war in Iran to end.
Asked if the State was facilitating its continuance by failing to prohibit the military overflights, he said: “I think it’s a stretch by any yardstick to suggest that the Government is facilitating the war because of overflight. I don’t think that’s a sustainable proposition.
“Our view is [the] United Nations exists to resolve these disputes. We believe in multilateralism, the international rule of law and this is not a war we are involved in one way or the other.”
The use of Irish airspace and airports by the US military has long been controversial. Since the Trump administration launched its war on Iran on February 28th, there have been renewed calls from opposition TDs and peace campaigners for Irish airspace to be closed to US military aircraft.
During her St Patrick’s Day visit to the US, Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said there is “no reason to believe” US aircraft involved in the Iran war are overflying Ireland.
However, the figures show a significant increase in US military overflights coinciding with the start of the war.
Under a 1959 agreement, US military aircraft can fly over Ireland without prior permission as long as they are not carrying weapons or involved in active military operations. If these conditions are not met, the US must seek prior authorisation from the Government in Dublin.
In a statement on Monday, Paul Murphy of People Before Profit said the Irish Times report is “further evidence of Government complicity in US arming of genocide in Gaza and its wars in the Middle East”. He also repeated People Before Profit calls for statements in the Dáil on the US military use of Irish airspace and Shannon Airport.
Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson said Ireland must join Spain and Switzerland in closing its airspace to US military aircraft. “How can we be confident that the Government knows that there is nothing of concern in the military planes that pass overhead when they can’t even accurately count them?” she asked.
