Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The committee has no political role. The committee does its utmost to protect and safeguard the country from a defence and security point of view. It exchanges information. It is not involved in the politics of the matter, nor is the office of emergency planning which constantly tries to ensure the State is protected and to oversee emergency planning generally. Therefore, the questions raised by the Deputy do not arise.

On aircraft that wish to stop — and do stop — coming from anywhere in the United States and going to any destination, not just to Iraq, as they have traditionally done for four and a half decades, they must seek the permission of the Minister for Transport in the case of civilian aircraft and the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the case of foreign military aircraft. Following the 1959 letter, there are concessions on that matter. Successive Governments have followed the arrangements agreed in 1959 by the Minister for External Affairs, Mr. Frank Aiken, on security issues during the time of the Cold War. Those procedures still pertain and do not mean that the aircraft need to be checked on each occasion. However, rules are laid down.

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