Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

The failure of Ireland to provide an inspection regime for military aircraft using Irish airspace has led to our being found wanting in the eyes of the international community. In its annual report published this week, Amnesty International has criticised Ireland for its failure to provide an inspection regime. It states that specific aircraft, known to have been used by the CIA for extraordinary rendition, have transited Ireland, primarily through Shannon Airport. It also states that aircraft en route or returning from rendition missions have transited through the airport. These aircraft have apparently breached Irish and international law since they sought and obtained automatic clearance under rules governing civilian aircraft, even though they were performing US state functions and should have presented themselves as state aircraft.

This serious allegation by Amnesty International claims that Ireland has been involved in a breach of international law, as it claims that aircraft have transited through Irish airspace in an illegal fashion. It follows two Council of Europe reports, a European Parliament report and a report by the Irish Human Rights Commission, which all express grave concern about the use of Irish airspace by CIA aircraft in its transport of prisoners to Guantanamo Bay and other centres of detention and torture in the practice of extraordinary rendition.

It is time for the Government to reconsider its policy of non-inspection of such aircraft, a policy which claims as its basis that no other European country has such an inspection regime. It is not good enough to hide behind that. We are a neutral country and we should lead the way on this, just as we are leading the way by hosting a highly successful international conference in Croke Park to rid the world of cluster bombs.

In its comprehensive report, Amnesty International recommends that the Government should establish an Oireachtas committee to inquire into the allegations of extraordinary rendition through Irish airspace. A similar recommendation was made by the Council of Europe in two reports over the past two years. I fully agree with the Council of Europe and with Amnesty International. The committee could invite submissions from other states, where similar allegations have been made. It should review our own laws and procedures in granting overflight or landing clearances to foreign aircraft, both civilian and state. It should make solid recommendations for reform, which when implemented would remove the current allegations and suspicions that besmirch Ireland's good standing with the international community in the field of human rights.

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