Military flights continued to cause controversy

THE controversy over military flights in Irish airspace, which became a major issue in efforts to oust Jack Lynch as taoiseach in 1979, were raised in a number of state files.

During the second world war, British military aircraft stationed on Lough Erne were authorised to fly directly to the Atlantic through what was know as the Donegal Corridor.

In 1952, the Foreign Military Aircraft Order empowered the minister for external affairs to authorise military over-flights and the landing of aircraft.