Taxpayer picks up €10 million air traffic control bill for US military flights in Irish airspace

Darragh Mc Donagh

The Irish taxpayer has picked up a €10 million tab for air traffic control services provided to US military aircraft passing through airspace managed by Ireland, it has been revealed.

Aircraft that transit through Irish-controlled airspace are charged for en-route services provided by AirNav Ireland (ANI), the commercial semi-state body funded by these fees.

However, the Irish Government has opted to exempt foreign military flights from these charges, which have amounted to €10.1 million for the United States since the beginning of 2018.

The provision of security services provided by the Irish Defence Forces for US military aircraft at Shannon Airport cost an additional €965,471 during the four-year period from 2018 to 2022.

The figures were published by the Departments of Defence and Transport earlier this week in response to parliamentary questions from Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell.

Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien said ANI charges for en-route services in Irish-controlled airspace through EUROCONTROL, the intergovernmental organisation that coordinates air control management across Europe.

However, Ireland is among a number of countries that have exercised their discretion to exempt foreign military aircraft from the charges.

“In relation to en-route charges, the policy and general practice at international level is to exempt foreign military flights from these charges. Ireland, in common with the vast majority of EUROCONTROL’s other 41 member states, subscribes to this practice,” explained Mr O’Brien.

“Between 2018 and September 2025, the cost to the state for en-route charges and North-Atlantic Communications charges for US military aircraft amounted to €10.1 million, including VAT.”

Terminal charges for US military aircraft that landed at Irish airports amounted to an additional €500,000, he added.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Simon Harris revealed that security provided by the Defence Forces for the US military at Shannon Airport is costing the taxpayer an average of €241,368 a year.

Costs in relation to recent years were unavailable, but security costs amounted to almost €1 million in the four years between 2018 and 2022, according to figures published by the department.