The Government has been accused of “turning a blind eye” to claims of weapons being flown through Irish airspace.
People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy held up a folder of documents in the Dáil which he said proved “thousands of tonnes of weaponry have gone through Irish airspace on the way to be used in a genocide in Gaza”.
The Dublin South-West TD walked across the floor of the Dáil to hand the documents to Tánaiste Simon Harris, saying they were waybills from the airlines.
“We do not need to investigate it. The airlines themselves are declaring that they are carrying weapons,” he said, claiming these have been sent to the Tánaiste repeatedly.
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Mr Harris insisted the Department of Transport is examining the allegations. “Any breach of Irish law must of course have a consequence,” he said.
“We do need to have a better understanding and better knowledge as to what happens above our skies and indeed below our seas.
“I think it is legitimate for Government to consider whether to amend our own domestic legislation and whether more needs to happen internationally.”
The Tánaiste also rejected the Social Democrats’ accusations of “reneging” on the Occupied Territories Bill by excluding services. Acting deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan said “there is no legal basis for excluding services. It is a key part of trade” along with goods.
Mr Harris said there is “a narrow pathway” for EU members to move unilaterally on goods, but “we have not yet been able to identify the narrow pathway on services. That’s the truth”.
In the row over airspace violations, Mr Murphy said the Tánaiste told the Dáil last June no Irish sovereign airspace was being used to transport weapons to the conflict in the Middle East.
“Last Friday on The Late Late Show, you said you don’t believe that Irish skies are being used to transport weapons to Israel. Now you tell the Dáil it’s hard to have the level of knowledge that we need to have about these flights,” Mr Murphy said.
Mr Murphy accused the Tánaiste of “studied, deliberate and false ignorance” and “pretending” he did not know what was going on.
He listed some of the weapons on the waybills, including F-35 combat jet components, missile launchers, handguns, ammunition primer, detonators, detonating fuses and tear gas.
“It’s a criminal offence which carries a three-year prison sentence for the owner who hires the aircraft. But you’re not just turning a blind eye to it, you’re gaslighting us,” Mr Murphy said.
The Tánaiste said the legislation “expressly prohibits civil aircraft from carrying munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory without being granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport”.
[ Plans to inspect aircraft suspected of carrying weapons to Israel in doubtOpens in new window ]
Mr Harris said, “It’s one thing about what people wish to inspect when it’s on the ground, but when a plane is at 30,000, 35,000 feet in the air ... I’d be very interested in hearing from you your practical and implementable solutions in terms of what more we can do.”
Mr Murphy said, “The practical solution is that the Minister for Transport should prosecute the companies. It’s the law. They’re currently breaking the law.
“Or I’ll give you another suggestion, which actually came from the now Taoiseach Micheál Martin last September, that there had to be consequences for airlines that do this, that they shouldn’t be allowed to fly through our airspace if they violate these basic laws.”
The Tánaiste acknowledged that, if there were breaches, “decisions will need to be taken on the next steps, based on evidence – based on clear and robust evidence”.
