Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Further action is required on this petition. We have received correspondence from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade but I do not think it addresses all the points raised by Dr. Horgan. He referred in particular to a High Court judgment in 2003 which found Ireland to be in breach of international laws on neutrality. The State took no action on foot of that judgment. He also makes charges that gardaí at Shannon Airport were instructed, on the advice of the Attorney General, not to search these aircraft and that complaints made by activists at Shannon were not acted on. That is a serious charge. We should invite Dr. Horgan and the other petitioners to appear before us to expand on their petition and, perhaps, ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to address the issues raised and clarify whether previous Ministers for Foreign Affairs ever gave permission for extraordinary rendition flights, transfers of prisoners or commercial aircraft to be used in ways that are contrary to our neutrality laws, and whether exemptions were granted for flights carrying arms, ammunition or explosives. I am not sure whether the issue is within the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, however. It may be more appropriate to direct our questions to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. If we can ask these questions in advance of the petitioners' appearance before the committee, they could inform us in our deliberations.