Latest news with #Dail
The Irish Sun
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Almost 2,000 US military flights and aircraft with munitions on board stopped at Irish airports between 2022 and 2024
ALMOST 2,000 US military flights and US civil flights with declared munitions of war on board stopped at Irish airports over the last three years, a report found. Over the same period, more than 1,000 applications were made for US civil aircraft with munitions of war on board to land in Shannon. In total, 1,700 applications were made for civil aircraft with weapons on board to fly over Irish airspace. The figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs show that 0.1 per cent of the applications made for civil aircraft carrying weapons to land or fly over Ireland were refused in the last three years. Out of 543 applications to fly over Ireland with munitions of war in 2024, two were refused. Read more in News During the period, no US military aircraft were prevented from landing at Irish airports. According to the Department of Transport, the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft in Irish airspace is prohibited 'unless an exemption for such carriage is granted by the Minister for Transport'. It added: 'Applications for an exemption must detail specifically what is being carried, why and for whom, providing as much detail as possible.' Department of Transport figures for January and February of this year show a total of 236 applications for these exemptions were received, with 232 granted, none refused and four cancelled. Most read in Irish News Earlier this week, Minister for Foreign Affairs The aircraft was carrying individuals described by a US Homeland Security official as 'barbaric' and 'violent' to Africa against the directions of a US federal court judge. JET TRACKED Flight-tracking data obtained by the New York Times traced a Gulfstream jet owned by a private company that stopped off at Shannon for two hours after leaving an airport in Harlingen, Texas, on Tuesday. From Shannon, the aircraft travelled on to an airport in Djibouti, arriving there on Wednesday. It had been reported the final destination of the eight deportees was South Sudan. In the Dail, Harris said the US deportation flight that landed in Shannon 'was a civil aircraft and as such, no diplomatic clearance would have been sought or indeed would have been required'. 'EVOLVING SITUATION' Harris said it was 'very much an evolving situation'. The Tanaiste said: 'The regulation of civil aircraft and flights is a matter for the Department of Transport. 'Diplomatic clearance to overfly or land in the State is required from my own department for any military and state aircraft, but not for civil aircraft. 'And what is most important is that we now have full clarity on what may or may not have taken place. 'So officials from my own department are liaising with the Department of Transport, the Department of Justice and the US authorities.' 1 Some 978 US military flights landed in Ireland between 2022 and 2024 Credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Aontu deputy leader accuses Sinn Fein of ‘smoke and mirrors' tactics over voting rights bill
Gemma Brolly calls on party to explain why it hasn't backed presidential election proposals Aontu is calling on Sinn Fein to explain why it hasn't signed a bill in the Dail to give Irish citizens living in Northern Ireland the right to vote in the Republic's presidential election. The party's deputy leader, Gemma Brolly, said she was 'hugely frustrated' at Sinn Fein's failure so far to respond to correspondence from Aontu leader Peadar Toibin on the issue. Sinn Fein has been contacted for comment.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Irish leaders defend stance on Palestine and accuse Israel of genocide
Ireland's deputy premier has defended the government's actions on Palestine, stating it was the first EU country to call Israel's actions genocide. Ireland's premier and deputy premier have both accused Israel of genocide in the Irish parliament for the first time this week. The Irish government has been pressured to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements, introduce powers to remove the Irish Central Bank's role in allowing the sale of Israel Bonds in the EU, and to stop flights reportedly carrying munitions to the Middle East from passing through Ireland. The Irish government recognised Palestinian statehood a year ago and has pushed for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Ireland has also intervened in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Criminal Court (ICC), asking the court to broaden its interpretation of what constitutes genocide. Deputy premier Simon Harris was pressed in the Dail parliament on Thursday on whether Israel was being treated differently to Russia and was accused of 'standing over a narrative that is utterly false' on the conflict in the Middle East. Responding to independent TD Catherine Connolly, he said that a Bill banning the trade of goods with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands would be progressed to the foreign affairs committee in June. Defending the government's stance, he said: 'We are the first government in the European Union to say what Israel is doing is genocide. It is genocide. 'We're working to support the people of Palestine and the only chamber I ever go into in the entire world where people don't acknowledge that Ireland, the government, the people of Ireland, are standing with the people of Palestine, standing up for human rights, standing up for international law, is here when you get up and distort – with your ideology – the actions of this government. 'I'm proud of the people of this country. I'm proud that we went into an election, and it didn't matter what party you were in, you stood up and said 'We are going to support the people of Palestine'. 'Get beyond yourself with this narrative of you have all the moral authority and we're a terrible people. 'I'm disgusted and sickened – sickened – watching children dying on our television screens and every day I come to work and work with all the people in here to do our best to show leadership at a time of horrific conflict.' On Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin defended his government's decision not to support Sinn Fein's Bill proposing to empower Ireland's Finance Minister to end the Central Bank's role in facilitating the sale of Israel Bonds in the EU. 'We have been very consistent in our support to the Palestinian people and their right to self determination, and in condemning the war crimes and the genocide that is occurring right now,' Mr Martin said in the Dail. He added: 'The focus has to be relentlessly on the policies of Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government made up of extreme far-right elements who are committing genocide in Gaza right now. 'And the most effective way – let's call a spade a spade and you know it – the most effective way is to persuade as many member states within the European Union, and indeed United States, to pull its support from the state of Israel, in terms of what it's doing.'
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Irish leaders defend stance on Palestine and accuse Israel of genocide
Ireland's premier and deputy premier have both accused Israel of genocide in the Irish parliament for the first time this week. The Irish government has been pressured to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements, introduce powers to remove the Irish Central Bank's role in allowing the sale of Israel Bonds in the EU, and to stop flights reportedly carrying munitions to the Middle East from passing through Ireland. The Irish government recognised Palestinian statehood a year ago and has pushed for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Ireland has also intervened in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Criminal Court (ICC), asking the court to broaden its interpretation of what constitutes genocide. Deputy premier Simon Harris was pressed in the Dail parliament on Thursday on whether Israel was being treated differently to Russia and was accused of 'standing over a narrative that is utterly false' on the conflict in the Middle East. Responding to independent TD Catherine Connolly, he said that a Bill banning the trade of goods with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands would be progressed to the foreign affairs committee in June. Defending the government's stance, he said: 'We are the first government in the European Union to say what Israel is doing is genocide. It is genocide. 'We're working to support the people of Palestine and the only chamber I ever go into in the entire world where people don't acknowledge that Ireland, the government, the people of Ireland, are standing with the people of Palestine, standing up for human rights, standing up for international law, is here when you get up and distort – with your ideology – the actions of this government. 'I'm proud of the people of this country. I'm proud that we went into an election, and it didn't matter what party you were in, you stood up and said 'We are going to support the people of Palestine'. 'Get beyond yourself with this narrative of you have all the moral authority and we're a terrible people. 'I'm disgusted and sickened – sickened – watching children dying on our television screens and every day I come to work and work with all the people in here to do our best to show leadership at a time of horrific conflict.' On Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin defended his government's decision not to support Sinn Fein's Bill proposing to empower Ireland's Finance Minister to end the Central Bank's role in facilitating the sale of Israel Bonds in the EU. 'We have been very consistent in our support to the Palestinian people and their right to self determination, and in condemning the war crimes and the genocide that is occurring right now,' Mr Martin said in the Dail. He added: 'The focus has to be relentlessly on the policies of Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government made up of extreme far-right elements who are committing genocide in Gaza right now. 'And the most effective way – let's call a spade a spade and you know it – the most effective way is to persuade as many member states within the European Union, and indeed United States, to pull its support from the state of Israel, in terms of what it's doing.'
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Irish leaders defend stance on Palestine and accuse Israel of genocide
Ireland's premier and deputy premier have both accused Israel of genocide in the Irish parliament for the first time this week. The Irish government has been pressured to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements, introduce powers to remove the Irish Central Bank's role in allowing the sale of Israel Bonds in the EU, and to stop flights reportedly carrying munitions to the Middle East from passing through Ireland. The Irish government recognised Palestinian statehood a year ago and has pushed for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Ireland has also intervened in South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Criminal Court (ICC), asking the court to broaden its interpretation of what constitutes genocide. Deputy premier Simon Harris was pressed in the Dail parliament on Thursday on whether Israel was being treated differently to Russia and was accused of 'standing over a narrative that is utterly false' on the conflict in the Middle East. Responding to independent TD Catherine Connolly, he said that a Bill banning the trade of goods with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands would be progressed to the foreign affairs committee in June. Defending the government's stance, he said: 'We are the first government in the European Union to say what Israel is doing is genocide. It is genocide. 'We're working to support the people of Palestine and the only chamber I ever go into in the entire world where people don't acknowledge that Ireland, the government, the people of Ireland, are standing with the people of Palestine, standing up for human rights, standing up for international law, is here when you get up and distort – with your ideology – the actions of this government. 'I'm proud of the people of this country. I'm proud that we went into an election, and it didn't matter what party you were in, you stood up and said 'We are going to support the people of Palestine'. 'Get beyond yourself with this narrative of you have all the moral authority and we're a terrible people. 'I'm disgusted and sickened – sickened – watching children dying on our television screens and every day I come to work and work with all the people in here to do our best to show leadership at a time of horrific conflict.' On Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheal Martin defended his government's decision not to support Sinn Fein's Bill proposing to empower Ireland's Finance Minister to end the Central Bank's role in facilitating the sale of Israel Bonds in the EU. 'We have been very consistent in our support to the Palestinian people and their right to self determination, and in condemning the war crimes and the genocide that is occurring right now,' Mr Martin said in the Dail. He added: 'The focus has to be relentlessly on the policies of Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government made up of extreme far-right elements who are committing genocide in Gaza right now. 'And the most effective way – let's call a spade a spade and you know it – the most effective way is to persuade as many member states within the European Union, and indeed United States, to pull its support from the state of Israel, in terms of what it's doing.'
