A GROUP OF Pro-Palestine protesters occupied the departure halls of Shannon Airport for approximately 90 minutes this afternoon. 

The group of activists are demanding an immediate end to the transport of US weapons to Israel via Irish airports.

However, the Irish Government denies that Shannon Airport is being used by the US to facilitate Israel. 

In a statement released on behalf of Dublin for Gaza and Action for Palestine, the two groups called on the Government to refuse exemptions for US planes transporting weapons through Irish airports. 

Last week, it was reported by the Irish Examiner that 910 flights carrying weapons were granted permission to fly across Irish airspace by Transport Minister Eamon Ryan.

Opposition TDs have said clarity is needed, with Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy telling the Examiner that there is a “disturbing lack of transparency” around these flights. 

The 150 red paper planes represent the 150 US war planes allowed to fly over Irish airspace since October 7 2023, the protesters said.

Last September, Minister of State in the Department of Transport Jack Chambers said that Irish legislation expressly prohibits civil aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory, without being granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport.

However, Chambers said that inspections of aircrafts only take place when it appears that a flight would be in contravention of the legislation.

He said there are no records of any inspections of a civil aircraft “insofar as can be determined” since 2020.

A statement from the protesters today said: “Dublin for Gaza believes that the unchecked use of Irish airspace by Israel’s principle military backer, the United States, makes Ireland complicit in the genocide of Palestinians and is a serious breach of the state’s obligations under the Geneva Convention for the Prevention of Genocide.”

Dublin For Gaza spokesperson Jordy Smith said that their protest today was chosen to coincide with the planned launch date of Israel’s ground invasion of Rafah.

The Department of Transport has been contacted for comment.