Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-22
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Alice-Mary Higgins (IND), National University of Ireland

I know the Minister of State has strong personal feelings on this matter but the inconsistency is in the actions. There have not been actions. There have been no inspections of flights that are granted exemptions. As I said, I asked previously and there was no action taken on documented cases of aircraft travelling with weapons through our airspace. That choice of inaction and the choice to continue to grant exemptions and to not inspect are inconsistent with a seriousness about international law. I am talking about simply avowing international law and then acting to try to support it. The UN is the United Nations and it is about the nations of the world and what they do. I do not have time for the wider debates about United Nations reform, though I believe the General Assembly still has a clear and important role.
I would like clarity from the Minister of State. I am hearing support for my amendments. It points to the fact that these are very sensible amendments that show I listened to, engaged with and responded to any of the concerns raised on Committee Stage. I would like an indication at this point in light of the fact the Government is supporting my amendments and has been supportive of this. Is the Government going to be supporting this Bill and its progress to the Dáil where any further issues may be addressed? This amendment allows a widening of the situation and of the frame. I am concerned by some of the language we previously heard in this debate about how it is very hard to do it and how there are even more gaps in how we do it. The arms embargo against Russia has been in place for quite a long time. Is Ireland saying we do not apply inspections in general because we have not got the capacity? If we have the capacity to apply inspections, why would we not be applying them in these instances? I would like an indication from the Government. We were told on Committee Stage there are existing powers and it is going to start using them and then they just were not used for a year. Alternatively, is it the case the Government is looking to strengthen the powers further and plans to amend the Bill as it moves through the Dáil? I would like clarity on the Government’s position on this legislation because I have not had that in this debate.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-04-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:50+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-22