Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Although the Minister uses the term "on occasion", on average it is actually approximately once a day. Does he not think it is an incredible irony that legislation is used against protesters and yet not one single US aeroplane has been searched by the relevant authorities? He also speaks about the airport's commercial viability not being undermined, but is it not strange that a 79 year old woman with impaired mobility was able to access the runway together with a colleague? Not only did she occupy the runway but she was obliged to telephone from it to alert the aviation authorities that they had been on the runway for approximately half an hour and that their presence had not been noticed. If that is not peculiar, I do not know what is. Shannon Airport has been operating almost as a 51st state of the Union in facilitating the US military. The Minister will be aware that the United Nations Committee Against Torture asked the Government recently to account for its actions in the use of Shannon Airport. What is he doing in this regard?

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