Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson’s Bill to give greater powers to prevent munitions being flown through Shannon Airport and Irish airspace, along with a suite of other measures which will seek to prevent ICE deportation flights stopping in Ireland, will be debated in the Seanad tomorrow.
Senator Stephenson said:
“This Bill seeks to uphold Irish neutrality, sovereignty and international law. Shannon Airport has been used as a transit hub to move munitions for decades now.
“Recent reports consistently highlight commercial aircraft providers carrying weapons through Irish territory. In just one week in February last year, Lufthansa carried over 1 tonne of munitions to Israel on 3 flights over Irish Territory. American Airlines carried munitions used in the illegal war in Iran just last month, critical parts for launching missiles. None of these were sanctioned.
“Under Irish air navigation law, carrying weapons of war through Irish airspace requires an exemption from the transport minister, but exemptions have not been applied for.
“This is the central issue my Bill seeks to address. The Government claims that it does not have sufficient powers to inspect the commercial operators transporting arms and munitions through the State.
“This Bill will introduce a random inspection and enforcement regime, with penalties for flight operators who breach Ireland’s rules on the transportation of munitions. It also responds to long held and growing public concern about Ireland’s complicity in actions linked to human rights abuses.
“I’m deeply concerned about the use of Irish territory in the context of cruel deportation flights carried out by ICE in the US, which have been recorded as landing in Shannon Airport between May 2025 and February this year. This government should play no part in these removals.
“We have reports of Palestinian people being shackled on planes and deported to the West Bank, an occupied territory – this is illegal under international law. This Bill seeks to extend what qualifies as a State aircraft by including customs flights, which would be required to abide by human rights law and seek exemptions before landing in Shannon.
“This Bill is about oversight, accountability and ensuring that Ireland is not facilitating the movement of weapons or participation in actions that undermine international law, human rights, or the values we claim to uphold.”
June 9th, 2026