Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank and welcome Mr. Burgess and the other officials from the Department. I was on the delegation that went to Shannon. We talked to the airport authorities and spoke to the gardaí there. Basically, they painted a picture for us to the effect that they had no role whatsoever in the issue outlined. The way they described it these aircraft have diplomatic immunity, they were effectively airborne embassies and could not be encroached upon in any way. The statement to the committee today seems to concur, given the reference to successive Governments taking that stance.

I note the stipulation that aircraft must be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives and must not engage in intelligence gathering as well as that the flights in question must not form part of military exercises or operations, and that this is our policy. This is based on good faith and the word of the visitors coming to us, albeit with diplomatic immunity, when they land at Shannon. The view is that under no circumstances would they be searched.

Is it possible the representatives of Shannonwatch are correct? They see certain aeroplanes landing at Shannon which, they believe, could well be involved in rendition flights, for example. They could well be carrying troops or arms on some of the flights but we would never know because those flights would never be checked. The aircraft are not entered because of sovereign immunity and a system based on the word of one government to another. Technically, we are saying that Shannonwatch could be correct, but the Government is using the diplomatic card as the reasoning for this position. Is the premise I am putting to Mr. Burgess correct?