Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

I refer the Deputy to my replies to Questions Nos. 83 and 113 of 8 February, and No. 229 of 21 February, all of which deal with precisely this question.

I was one of only two Ministers for Foreign Affairs to attend a meeting of the European Parliament's temporary committee investigating extraordinary rendition, the TDIP committee. There is no suggestion in the TDIP committee's report that extraordinary rendition, which I once again strongly condemn, took place through Irish territory, and I welcome that. It is consistent with the clear and repeated assurances that we have received from the US authorities.

However, I have clearly stated my regret that certain members of the TDIP committee squandered the opportunity to produce a forward-looking document. Instead it contains, as Dr. Maurice Manning, President of the Irish Human Rights Commission, has been reported as saying, "a lot of political point-scoring". Such was the degree of partisanship in the final report that certain Irish MEPs on the TDIP committee felt that they could not vote on it.

That has resulted in several strange elements in the report. In particular, I highlight its call for a ban on all CIA aircraft landing in Ireland. That is misguided for two reasons. First, Ireland is the only country for which such a ban is demanded. That peculiar situation is explained by the fact that the ban call results from an amendment tabled by an Irish MEP. Second, the call for an absolute ban on landings by CIA-operated aircraft in Ireland is based on an illegitimate assumption that all CIA-operated flights are inherently sinister.

There are many legitimate reasons for international co-operation in intelligence matters. The report's suggestion that all such co-operation by Ireland should be cancelled because of a risk of extraordinary rendition, which it implicitly recognises does not occur here, defies logic. Similarly, the report's call for the Government "to agree to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the use of Irish territory as part of the CIA rendition circuit" ignores the fact that it is for the Oireachtas to decide its own agenda. It also ignores the fact that Seanad Éireann has on three separate occasions, most recently on 31 January, voted not to institute a specific inquiry. Those issues have been extensively debated in the Houses of the Oireachtas, and both Houses have passed motions supporting the Government's policy, the Seanad most recently on 31 January, and the Dáil on 14 June 2006.

Rather than calling for further inquiries, it is time to focus on what concrete measures we might take to help prevent or deter extraordinary rendition using European territory. I have repeatedly highlighted the need to examine the regulation of aviation. It is with that objective that my Department is exploring with partners in the EU and in the International Civil Aviation Organisation the issues I have raised in this regard. Those discussions are at an early stage, but nonetheless they have the potential to be productive. It is clear that for any reforms in the area to be effective, they will require to be implemented at a European level, at least.

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