A British RAF Hercules at Shannon Airport on December 29, 2016
The Carlow Nationalist writes:
British military chiefs are facing a dressing down over the unapproved landing of RAF aircraft at Shannon Airport.
The diplomatic spat was revealed after a Hercules transport plane landed at the airport on December 29 without seeking clearance from the Government in advance.
Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan said: “The Government views breaches of the procedures set down for the granting of permission for such landings with the utmost seriousness. I have instructed my officials to discuss the matter further with the British Embassy with a view to ensuring that correct procedures are followed in future.”
The British Embassy in Dublin told Irish officials that the RAF Hercules landed in Shannon to refuel.
As Ireland is a neutral country, permission should have been sought in advance and assurances given that the aircraft was unarmed, carried no cargo of arms, ammunition or explosives and that it was not on an intelligence-gathering mission or a military exercise or operation.
British diplomats told Irish officials there had been a “communication breakdown”.
“The embassy has confirmed in writing that the purpose of the landing was refuelling, and that the flight was unarmed; carried no arms, ammunition or explosives; and was not engaged in intelligence-gathering nor formed part of a military exercise or operation,” Mr Flanagan added.
Previously: Meanwhile, In Shannon
Pic: Shannonwatch
Hardly an invasion despite Clare Daly frothing at the mouth.
Don’t be an bottomhole, if it’s illegal, it’s illegal.
Ireland is not a neutral country. Switzerland is neutral.
We’re defenceless. There’s a difference.
Heh
Switzerland is neutral cos they
hidehold everyone’s money.We’ve got a constitution saying that we don’t participate in war, except with the explicit assent of the Dail. The Dail is pretending we’re not participating in a war, despite giving material assistance to the logistics, so they have not assented.
In Horgan v Ireland the judge found that we are in fact providing assistance, and acting contrary to the Hague Convention on Neutrality.
Oh, RAF are going to get the discussion of their lives after this, and seemingly we are neutral again?
I laughed at RAF response…”eh yeah, there was nothing on that aircraft…on Dec 23rd. “. Like Charlie would know any better. Do we actually have any national security?
We do and they’re busy monitoring and intimidating the good citizens of Shannon Watch.
Seems like a genuine mistake. I’m still curious regarding its flight path and cargo though.
“frightfully sorry old bean””any port in the storm and all that””toodle-pip”Swooon!!!
Definitely a schoolboy prank to see if we’d notice.
“utmost seriousness”
Whahahahaha
“assurances given that the aircraft was unarmed”
whahahaha
Seeing as it’s a cargo plane, it probably was unarmed. It also was probably full of arms, as it was a military cargo plane.
British diplomats told Irish officials there had been a “communication breakdown”. As in they forgot to communicate the results of the Anglo Irish War to most of Britain.
Poor auld Charley. First the Egyptians, now the Brits making a complete gobshite out of him.
so I take it that the plane wasn’t refused then?
refuelled
Think it belongs to the Pope.
I can see the headlines now: “NATO plane refueled in NATO base”
…#didnatodonatethedough
Nope because our benevolent leaders feel the need to abandon neutrality and do their utmost to get us involved in a war in the middle of nowhere, lest the protesters win.
us army plane!!!!! it clearly says us air force on the side. The US army isn’t allowed to operate fixed wing aircraft
Obv someone has the wrong photo. It’s just the commonly spotted US C-130 pictured here.
The Shannonwatch blog has their photo of the RAF Herc
Given the RAF defend our airspace because we can’t, seems like a fair deal.
From who?
from the enemies of her majesty, which could include you, peasant, if your not too careful…….
There’s a difference between the RAF being willing to defend our airspace, and the RAF being prepared to shoot down a jet over Ireland so that the burning wreckage lands here, rather than England… it’s not a small difference.
There was no complaint when the RAF where asked to patrol Irish airspace in the aftermath of 7 11 !!!
Why would the Brits patrol Irish airspace following the Mumbai train bombings?
Lol
Those hot dogs can be fatal
@ Alf – They, as the lap-dogs of the yanks, were the part of the cause of 9/11. Don’t sh*t all over another country and expect no repercussions.
( I take it you meant 9/11 as opposed to 7/11)