We would not have allowed flights with weapons for Israel in Irish airspace, says Eamon Ryan

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: 'Our department is engaging with the airline involved to try and get details of what may have been on the payload.' File picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

Ireland would not have agreed to allow Israeli aircraft fly weapons over Irish airspace had the Government been informed, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has said.

Mr Ryan said that the Government is currently reviewing the situation following reports in recent days that an Israeli airline was transporting weaponry between the United States and Israel over Irish airspace.

“Our department is engaging with the airline involved to try and get details of what may have been on the payload. We obviously will review and we’re already reviewing the various processes we have of assessing through flights, be they landing or be they overflights,” Mr Ryan said.

“We don’t allow munitions. Had such a declaration been made, we would not have agreed it. Any occasion where there are any munitions being carried that are not appropriate, then we say no.

“We’re trying to assess the full details of what were the payloads on those planes.” 

He added that there was no request from the airline that they were carrying weaponry to Israel.

On the ongoing war in Palestine, Mr Ryan described the situation in Gaza and the West Bank as a “crisis”.

“I think it’s our role as a Government to do everything we can to try and promote an end to that assault,” he said, following Taoiseach Simon Harris calling for legal advice on trade with Israel.

“From my perspective, we do need to look at every measure we can.”