Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)

I find it a bit mad we are so keen to share information with the US when it is not half as keen to share it with us. I agree with the previous speaker that we are talking about giving a lot of information about our citizens to a country that has an appalling human rights record. Apart from the madness of Iraq, Afghanistan and the atrocities taking place in Pakistan of late, what of the notion that Guantanamo Bay detention centre could still be open? To take the statistics on Guantanamo, of 779 detainees imprisoned there in the past decade, only six have been convicted. That is incredible, and that figure is one less than the number of military prosecutors who have resigned over the system's unfairness.

I spoke to Amnesty International this morning and know it too has concerns. It is still not getting much comfort on questions to the Government on rendition flights passing through Shannon Airport. First, the Government refuses to search the aeroplanes, as was the position of the previous Government, and it is prepared to take the word of the US. Given how the US has behaved on the world stage, I find it incredible the Government would take its word on anything. There is this notion that if there was no prisoner on the aeroplane, that means it was not a rendition flight. Amnesty is at pains to point out that Shannon has been used as a staging post on the way to or from rendition activities. We are facilitating that. We complain about terrible things that happen in the world and we like to think of ourselves as a neutral country. I do not want to take sides with anyone on the planet, powerful or otherwise. I believe it is important we maintain a neutral position and that we have 100% respect for human rights. I do not see it as right to share so much information with a country with such a poor human rights record. That is not a good idea. Therefore, I oppose the motion.

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