Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

We are not talking about military aircraft landing with prior approval, we are talking about ostensibly civilian commercial aircraft. Clearly the Taoiseach is aware that to disguise state aircraft as civilian commercial aircraft is in breach of the Chicago Convention. It is not enough for the Taoiseach to say that anybody with evidence should give it to the Garda at Sixmilebridge. How am I supposed to get evidence? I am asking questions as an Opposition politician in this House. What steps has the Taoiseach taken? Has he just taken the assurances at face value? We got assurances that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. What steps has the Taoiseach taken to establish the truth? Is he saying that for the 50 landings at Shannon about which we now know — no thanks to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs — the aircraft were empty?

Is the Taoiseach saying that the Government does not propose to exercise its right of inspection and search under the Chicago Convention? Does he not accept the remarks of the former President, Mary Robinson, about the Constitution imposing a responsibility for law enforcement in our jurisdiction? We are not supposed to take assurances on a matter as grave as this one at face value given the recent track record. Offering me the prospect of bringing forward evidence to the Garda locally is ludicrous. The Taoiseach is leader of the Government. While admittedly the Minister for Foreign Affairs does not have a great record in finding out things, in this situation it is the least I would expect.

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