The number of aircraft permitted to bring military weapons and ammunitions through Ireland or on Irish registered aircraft* has hit a 13-year high, with 1,354 flights sanctioned last year.
It represents an increase of 14 per cent on weapons flights in a year and a 67 per cent rise since 2016.
The recent large increase coincides with Israel’s invasions of Gaza after Hamas’s attacks on October 7th, 2023, with much of Israel’s equipment coming from the United States, and Ukraine’s defensive war against Russia that began in 2022.
Early statistics for 2025 indicate significantly more exemptions will be granted again this year.
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In each of the first two months of this year, 142 flights were permitted to transport “munitions of war”. The figures for the first two months of last year were 70 and 106 respectively.
According to Department of Transport figures much of the increase relates to Irish-registered aircraft, which are subject to Irish law, carrying munitions of war outside the State. In 2020, just nine such flights were approved by the department. Last year there were 519.
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Under Irish law, all aircraft carrying “munitions of war” over Irish airspace must apply for exemptions from the Minister for Transport. Irish-registered aircraft carrying munitions anywhere in the world are also required to seek permission.
The Department of Transport consults with the departments of foreign affairs, justice and defence before granting exemptions. There are various grounds on which exemptions can be refused, including that aircraft are carrying “indiscriminate” weapons, such as cluster bombs and landmines that have a high chance of causing civilian casualties.
However, the primary reason for refusal is aviation safety concerns.
The Department of Transport data shows exemptions are almost invariably granted when sought. Since 2016, the department has refused just 1 per cent of the 9,848 applications it received.
The number of granted war munitions exemptions has not been this high since 2011, when the US’s troop presence in Afghanistan was at its peak.
The Government has previously said military transports carrying troops with their personal weapons made up a large proportion of exemption applications.
The recent increase in munitions of war exemptions has drawn criticism from peace campaigners and Opposition politicians who allege the Government is facilitating Israel’s war on Gaza, which has claimed 50,000 lives, most of them civilian, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
On Wednesday, senators Alice-Mary Higgins, Lynn Ruane, Frances Black and Eileen Flynn will bring forward a Bill that “seeks to ensure that munitions of war, weapons and dangerous goods are not being transferred to Israel through Ireland, either directly or indirectly”.
“Israel renewed its bombardment of Gaza on March 18th, killing 400 people including 174 children in just one night. It is horrifying to think that the weapons which are destroying so many lives may well have been allowed to pass through Ireland. There can be no more excuses or evasions,” Ms Higgins said.
The previous government committed to adopting aspects of an earlier version of the Bill that would strengthen powers to “search, sample and sanction” airlines travelling through or over Ireland.
This followed reports that air carriers were regularly transporting munitions through Irish airspace without government permission.
However, it remains unclear if this new system will come into force. Earlier this month, the current Government said “it has not considered this matter to date”.
* This article was amended on April 1st, 2025, to reflect that the 67 per cent increase relates to flights through Ireland and Irish registered aircraft operating globally
