Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Tánaiste will recall that the Irish Human Rights Commission was established under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance the human rights of everyone who lives on the island of Ireland and to assist us in meeting our international obligations to human rights.

The record will show that as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the Tánaiste has more often than not ignored the advice of the commission. Will he and the Government continue to ignore it with regard to the continued use of Shannon Airport by US military and CIA sponsored aircraft in the furtherance of their war in Iraq? Will the Government continue to facilitate the use of this facility, which clearly is in flagrant conflict with our stated position on neutrality and as being neutral on the war in Iraq?

The EU committee to investigate so-called extraordinary rendition has found that the State hosted 147 secret CIA flights, the third highest number among EU states. I emphasise, 147 secret CIA flights. Can the Tánaiste explain how that facilitation fits with our stated policy of neutrality, to be a sovereign and independent state with regard to international affairs in particular, when we continue to use Shannon Airport as a staging post for the US and British led war in Iraq?

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