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

They wanted Irish neutrality and Shannon Airport to play no part in facilitating the war, but the Government ignored them and violated Irish neutrality. It is clear to the people that the Government will continue to ignore their demands and that a constitutional amendment is the only way to save neutrality.

Would it have made any difference if this issue had been discussed at the Constitutional Convention? Of all the issues selected for discussion, only two will be put to the people in a referendum. The Government has refused to stick to the agreed deadlines. It was supposed to prepare a referendum three months after the convention had concluded its work, but 12 months later we are still awaiting a response. The Government refused to debate the abolition of the Seanad, but it then introduced, and lost, a referendum on the matter. The Minister was clearly grasping at straws when he used the Constitutional Convention as an argument.

Deputy Clare Daly correctly stated Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were opposed to the Bill because it would restrict their ability to violate neutrality when they wished.

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We want to tighten up the law in regard to the action of Governments. We do not want to end up in court but we want the ultimate decision to be made by the Irish people and we want the Government to act on that view.

Deputy Wallace's Bill will be before the House for debate in two weeks. The majority of the people are on our side on this issue and they want a coherent policy of positive neutrality with neutrality inserted in the Constitution. Deputy Ross stated that there is a repetitiveness about these debates and he is probably right. It is the same back and forth but that is what happens all the time in the House. The reality of what is happening on the ground is different. Let us take the debate out of here and into the homes of citizens. We should have a referendum once and for all and let the people decide what type of neutrality they want the State to have. Bunreacht na hÉireann is their document and they should decide whether it should be amended in respect of this hugely important issue.

The debate will not go away. When I contributed earlier, I said that the neutrality debate had become blurred and distorted but that is part of a strategy. One Deputy asked why we will not be honest and asserted that we wanted Shannon Airport to close. I do not want that but I would like people to be honest about is happening at the airport. Clearly, violations are occurring. The Minister said the Government is complying with the law but evidence was given in a recent court case under oath by someone who had seen soldiers with weapons on board an aircraft. This is not in compliance with aviation regulations. If anything comes out of the debate and the court case, it is that the Garda authorities should fully investigate the evidence given. New people are coming forward with information, including the truck driver who supplies kitchens who said that on a regular basis, he saw this happening.

We are living in a parallel universe. We are saying one thing is happening whereas the opposite is the case. No legitimate or logical reasons are being given by the Government for this. If this is being done for a few sandwiches, that is wrong. The Minister said some of our supporters in the US would be opposed to the Bill. That may be so but at times one has to stand up and say whether something is right or wrong. What is happening at Shannon Airport and what the State is facilitating is wrong. That is why I have tabled the legislation.

I thank everyone who took part in the debate. We will have an opportunity to vote on it next Tuesday but the debate will not end today. Other opportunities are coming down the track and evidence is unfolding as we speak.

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