It appears that neither Shannon Airport Authority nor the Government knows, or keeps proper records on, what US military aircraft land at Shannon. On four occasions lately, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade denied on the Dáil record that an aircraft had landed, although we knew it had. Then he discovered we had proof. The Minister told the Dáil last Tuesday:

Arising from new information which has been brought to my attention, I would like to correct the record of the House in respect of an error in responses to four parliamentary questions from Deputy Clare Daly starting on 7 October 2014 and finishing with Question No. 110 on 20 November 2014.

I replied to the questions on the basis of the information provided by Shannon Airport Authority.

How can it be acceptable that the Minister is relying on a civil authority for information regarding military traffic, given that the policy provides that only the Minister for Justice and Equality can give permission for military aeroplanes to land? If this aeroplane had permission to land, why did the Department not have a record of it? Clearly, it did not have a record. Now that the Minister has admitted the aeroplane was there, does the Government have any proof that the aeroplane was not involved in any military operation or exercise, in view of the fact that it was operated by a US Marine Corps Reserve squadron called the Rangers, which has done a great deal of work in Libya and Iraq?

Last year, a C-130 Hercules landed at Shannon with a weapon on board. We were told this was an administrative error and that it had no permit to land. The policy is inconsistent. In 2003, Judge Kearns ruled in the case of Horgan v. Ireland in the High Court that it was illegal and a breach of international laws on neutrality for the Government to give approval for the movement of troops or munitions on their way to a war front.

How, in God's name, can we give permits to the civilian aircraft that we admit are carrying weapons with them when we know bloody well they are going to a war front? Does the Government have records of where the planes go? If not, how can we know whether they are going to a war front? Unless we have inspections and monitoring, how can we know we are not complicit in war crimes in the Middle East, where the US army has illegally occupied sovereign states and committed umpteen war crimes? How can we know what is on the aircraft when sometimes we do not even know they are there?

I understand there was some discussion on the matter in one of the committees yesterday. On the Minister's correcting the record about four parliamentary questions the Deputy referenced, it is very welcome that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, would provide additional information if it becomes available. It is fair to the Deputy who asked the questions to correct the record if additional information comes in. It is to the credit of the Minister and shows how seriously the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Defence take our obligations as a neutral country regarding military traffic through or into Irish airspace.

He had no choice.

I do not have the details regarding the Deputy's questions on the civil authority at Shannon. I would be happy to raise them with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and return to the Deputy. The Minister's updating or correcting the record if the Civil Aviation Authority has corrected or updated information is a good thing.

Hear, hear.

While we are glad he corrected the record, it is a pity he denied it four times. It is proof that the Government did not know and that control of the military aircraft in Shannon has been outsourced to a civil authority, which is scary, given the importance the Government says it attaches to it. When the Labour Party was in opposition, it was adamant that aircraft should be inspected.

That is right.

Hear, hear.

Former Deputy Michael D. Higgins and the former Tánaiste, Deputy Eamon Gilmore insisted that aircraft be searched and that unless they were, we could not know what was on them.

That was then.

Why has the Labour Party changed its position? Why can we now take the word of the Americans, who tell us everything is grand? They told Angela Merkel they were not tapping her phone. We could not believe the time of day from these people. If we want to know what is on the aircraft, we have to inspect them. If the Government wants to know whether they are going to a war front, it must monitor their movement.

The Government should send Deputy Wallace to inspect them.

The Government should send Ray Burke to inspect them.

The Government is not protecting the Irish people's desire for peace and human rights. We are complicit in atrocious behaviour on the part of the US military in the Middle East, which has descended into anarchy thanks to their war efforts.

Hear, hear.

Will the Tánaiste, as leader of the Labour Party, consider revisiting her party's position on it and demanding we begin inspecting these aircraft?

There is a job for Deputy Finian McGrath.

I was at a protest with the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, in Limerick.

The example of Deputy Mary Lou McDonald has gone to Deputy Finian McGrath's head.

Definitely. The Tánaiste got it right this time.

Christmas is coming. Deputy Wallace has raised a serious issue. I am not aware if there is a person or party in the House who disagrees with a very strong, active policy of neutrality on the part of Ireland and the Government. This is, and always has been, the Labour Party's policy. The arrangements under which permission is granted for any country's military aircraft to land at Irish airports are governed by very strict conditions which stipulate that the aircraft must be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and must not engage in intelligence gathering. The conditions also stipulate that the flights in question must not form part of military exercises and operations. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade considers requests to permit the landing of military aircraft, including those that can operate as refuelling aircraft, on the basis of these very strict conditions. Permission is not granted for the conduct of military operations in Irish air space. This is Ireland's policy and it is strictly enforced. The Deputy raised some questions about the operation of the Civil Aviation Authority in Shannon. Although I do not have the answers to hand, I will take up the matter with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and seek responses from him. I know the Deputy has put down many questions to the Minister on these issues. Irish neutrality has been and remains a core part of Irish foreign policy.

No, it is not. Fine Gael is not happy with it.

My party is absolutely committed to it.