Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

Are the Taoiseach and the high-level committee aware of the opinion clearly expressed by the Reverend Jesse Jackson, the United States civil rights campaigner, that the ongoing involvement by Ireland in the war in Iraq through its making available Shannon Airport for United States troops is putting Ireland "in the line of fire"?

Has the high-level group made any recommendations on the use to which Shannon Airport is being put? Will the carrying of unspecified cargo, which is neither searched for weapons nor inspected for compliance with air safety and fire regulations, be addressed? Does the Taoiseach consider it would be proper to make sure that this matter is addressed to avoid any risk to the people or directly to Shannon? Will he act on the Minister of Defence's statement that he would not be happy if people were being brought through Shannon who may be unaccounted for or who may be being brought through in a way that transgresses international human rights agreements, for example, being brought through on their way to Guantanamo Bay? Will the Taoiseach take hold of this issue and address the concerns expressed by Reverend Jesse Jackson, which are shared by many people here, that Ireland is, effectively, in the line of fire as a result of the activities that continue to take place at Shannon?

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