Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

There is new evidence in Senator Marty's report. From the evidence supplied by Eurocontrol and the various aviation authorities, the Senator constructed what he terms the "spider's web" of flights and rendition tracks. The report criticises Ireland for what the Senator refers to as "passive collusion". In other words, acceptance at face value of the diplomatic assurances that have been given without checking separately and independently the allegations that have been made and without checking the planes, passenger lists, etc. It is bad enough that Ireland has been criticised in the past for passive collusion in the illegal torture of detainees on foot of flights through its airports, without opening itself to such an accusation in the future. Given that the criticism has been made, that the Government has been notified by the Council of Europe that it is not sufficient to accept diplomatic assurances at face value and that there is a positive obligation on member states, including Ireland, to check such allegations independently, is it the intention of the Government to continue to accept diplomatic assurances or does it intend to inspect aeroplanes, check passenger lists and verify independently, to its own satisfaction, that Irish airports are not being used for the rendition of prisoners to third countries for the purpose of torture?

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