Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, who has mentioned the areas for which he is not responsible and on which he cannot comment in any detail, as regards foreign policy, neutrality, the role of the Garda Síochána and extraordinary rendition. Obviously, members are going around the houses a little here because there are other Ministers involved. This is a problem the joint committee must face when tackling this issue, as for example, Question Time today in the Dáil Chamber was with the Minister for Defence. As I understand it, the Minister only gets a copy of the application for information and his role again is limited.

On the exemptions the Minister mentioned, he stated there has been a reduction in exemptions since 2011 and referred to the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. I note the invasion of Iraq took place in 2003. Does this reduction mean it should be easier to conduct the checks to which Senator Ó Clochartaigh referred regarding questions of munitions, arms and whether guns are loaded or unloaded? In respect of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, who precisely must take the lead role in this regard? People have given examples today of how members of the Garda would be able to stop a car if they suspected arms or drugs. Does anyone ask this question about what is passing through an airport? Given there may be fewer exemptions now, as the Minister has stated, could such checks be something the Department could do in a manner similar to what the Garda would do?