Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

There is a certain irony in any Member of the House putting on the record categoric criticisms of successive US Administrations on this issue and depending on a political response on the basis of a document, the provenance of which is probably questionable, from WikiLeaks. We can have it one way or the other. We can either accept the assurances, which are categoric and on the record, from the highest political levels or something of a lesser degree.

It seems that the Deputy is citing the leaked US cables as if they were somehow gospel but will not accept the suggestions made on the record. We have always opposed extraordinary rendition. That has been the view of all sides in the House and will continue to be the case. We have always sought to ensure that Ireland was not involved in it and all of the evidence we have is that Ireland has never been involved in it. All of the categorical assurances from the United States at the highest political level have supported that view.

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