Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste is correct that the report is a compilation of testimonies gathered by human rights organisations and brings together various court documents, official sources and so forth. However, it also links the apprehension and transfer of three suspects to aircraft and flight schedules that included stopovers at Shannon Airport between 2002 and 2004. I welcome the Tánaiste's statement that the Government will not grant permission to transfer prisoners through Irish airspace, although this commitment was also given by previous Governments. I recall that the previous Government took assurances provided at the time at face value. We now know that up to 170 aircraft passed through Irish airspace and suspects may have been on board in the case of three flights. Will the Tánaiste assure the House that the practice of transferring prisoners through Irish airspace, which may have occurred in the past, will not take place in future? How can those who are concerned about rendition be assured that Irish airspace and, more important, Irish airports will not be used by other States for rendition purposes?

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