Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

Two days ago, Human Rights Watch released a statement providing additional background data about allegations that were supposed to have been made against two unnamed European states. Human Rights Watch said that aircraft alleged to have been involved in the transportation of prisoners by the CIA landed in airports in seven EU member states, namely Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, the Czech Republic and Greece, as well as in Switzerland and Macedonia which are outside the EU. There is no reference to Ireland in the statement. Human Rights Watch went on to say it was highly unlikely that this type of clandestine activity would operate out of a major civilian airport. The statement did not add "such as Shannon", but obviously Shannon would be included in that.

I assure the Deputy that if anybody comes forward with any solid, credible evidence that any such activity is happening on our soil at Shannon, the Government will act on it. As my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, told the House on a previous occasion, a full investigation would take place in the event of such evidence arising. The US Administration has on many occasions given us categoric assurances. The US is a friendly state which has an incredible relationship with this country and for us to do anything other would imply that we do not believe those assurances.

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