Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)

Will the Minister agree there is serious disquiet, not only in Ireland, but in the EU, at the possibility of the existence of Guantanamo Bay type detention centres within the European Union? The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs has also expressed its concerns; so much so, is the Minister aware it has invited the US ambassador to come before it? I ask the Minister to use his good offices with the ambassador to get an agreement from him to appear before the committee to provide some explanations.

If detention centres exist in the European Union, then they are in violation of the principles of the European Convention on Human Rights. Under Articles 6 and 7 of the Nice Treaty, member states housing such detention centres could have their voting rights within the Union withdrawn. Will the Minister make Ireland's views on this known to his EU counterparts?

Ms Rice, on her recent visit to Europe, said that some European countries had enjoyed the services of US intelligence agencies arising from US dealings with prisoners from Iraq. Has Ireland enjoyed these services in security and the prevention of terrorism matters?

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