Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-04-22
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Jerry Buttimer (FG), Cork South-Central

I will be very brief, because I know Senator Higgins wants to come back in. There is much that unites us rather than divides in what we have heard. I understand and appreciate the contributions of Senators Higgins and Clonan regarding this amendment. It is important we understand that the Government and its agencies act and engage in terms of the external carriers. That is why we are not opposing this amendment. I know we are not going to support the Bill, but I certainly think, in the context of what Senator Clonan spoke about, that there is a system is in place. There is a robust engagement, and I have trust in the system. I take the Senator's point. There are criteria that have to be fulfilled and upheld as regards the inspection regime relating to those who are transiting through Ireland. Again, we are not opposing the amendment. We will continue to review and monitor the situation.
It is incumbent upon us as a nation to ensure that we do not allow for the passage of munitions through our airspace that will, as the Senator said, cause further damage and potential loss of life. Today, we mourn the loss of a second French peacekeeper in Lebanon. All of us who are parliamentarians here and the governments of various countries elsewhere must ensure that the sovereignty of our airspace and their airspace is upheld in terms of the passage of munitions.

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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