Weston airport in Kildare operating without legal permission

It has been revealed that a private Co Kildare airport has been facilitating foreign flights without any legal permission.

The Irish Times claims that between 600 and 800 flights have used Weston airport, owned by Jim Mansfield, over the last three years despite having no legal permission to do so.

A spokesman for Mr Mansfield said that all flights have now been directed to clear immigration at Dublin airport before flying to Weston.

The breaches came to light after €6m worth of cocaine and heroin was discovered in Belgium on an Irish-bound flight to Weston airport.