Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

This is because it boils down to actual knowledge. When these airplanes came through Ireland, we had no actual knowledge regarding this matter and any investigation into it. According to the European Court of Human Rights, substantial proof was needed, of which there is none. This question concerns rendition flights, although the Deputy's argument veers between them and black sites. Human Rights Watch has stated it is unlikely that clandestine operations of the kind referred to by Deputy Michael D. Higgins, which I condemn, would be run through civilian airports. The organisation does not mention Shannon Airport but it is obviously the type of airport to which it refers.

Tom Clonan, an expert on defence matters, investigated the detention of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and was told off the record that Shannon Airport would not have been used. We have received no hard evidence about the use of Shannon Airport for rendition flights despite our exhortation to the public in Ireland and abroad. The DPP often states he will not act in certain cases because he does not have hard evidence and I suspect the same is true in this case.

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