This article is from page 15 of the 2012-01-24 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
THE Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, had revealed that there were up to 1200 military flights through Shannon Airport in 2011, carrying nearly 250,000 US troops.
A breakdown of these figures has revealed that over 600 troops passed through Shannon every day in the 12 months up to December 31. Details of troop numbers were revealed by Minister Varadkar after a question was tabled by Sinn Féin deputy, Padraig Mac Lochlainn.
“My Department does not collate information with regard to the number of military troops on board civilian aircraft,” said Minister Varadkar. “However, on the basis of information collected by the Dublin Airport Authority, I understand the number of troops that have passed through Shannon Airport in 2011 was under 250,000,” he added.
“The figures make a mockery of the notion of Irish neutrality, and show that successive governments have relinquished all interest in maintaining an independent Irish foreign policy,” said a spokesperson for Shannonwatch.
Between 2001 and January 2011 there were 12,154 military stopovers in Shannon, carrying 2,0300,925 troops, while 11,995 return flights have accounted for 2,029,365 military personnel over the same period.
The 2001 to 2011 figures revealed that the peak period of Shannon’s use in US military operations came in 2005, when 1,973 flights passed through the airport, carrying 335,847 passengers, over double the amount that had passed through the previous year.
The build-up of troop manouvres started in 2003, before and after President Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq on March 19 of that year.
Meanwhile, following another Dáil question tabled by Deputy Mac Lochlainn the Minister for Transport, Alan Shatter has revealed that it nearly costs € 1m a year to police Shannon Aiport.
“The total cost of the assistance provided by the Defence Forces to An Garda Síochána at Shannon Airport during 2011 was € 259,739. This figure comprises the cost of Security Duty Allowances, rations and fuel,” said Minister Shatter.
“I am informed by the Garda authorities that the cost of policing arrangements at Shannon Airport for 2011 is € 994,052,” he added. These figures represent an increase of almost € 200,000 on the 2010 figures.