160. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Defence the number of searches that were conducted by Defence Forces personnel of aircraft at Dublin, Shannon, and Cork airports over the past three years. [20210/14]

An Garda Síochána has the primary responsibility for law and order, including the protection of the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) which, in practice, means to assist An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The Defence Forces are deployed for security duties at airports in response to requests for support from An Garda Síochána. No aircraft at any of these airports has been searched by the Defence Forces over the past three years.