Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister stated, we have discussed this issue on many occasions. Unfortunately, however, we have never addressed the matters which lie at the core of it. Perhaps the Minister is of the view that his repeating the same banalities on each occasion will encourage us to give up and to stop asking questions. I assure him that will not be the case. On 28 February, a US military EC-130H aircraft, described as an airborne tactical weapons system which uses a heavily modified version of the C-130 Hercules airframe and the primary function of which is electronic warfare, suppression of enemy air defences and offensive counter-information, landed at Shannon. How could such an aircraft not be in breach of our neutrality? When we posed questions to one of the four Departments responsible for this issue, having to some extent been kicked around in respect of it, we were initially informed that a different type of aircraft had sought permission to land ten days previously. On 28 February, the US military sought permission to land a normal Hercules plane but suddenly a so-called emergency landing was required and an EC-130H, an entirely different aircraft, landed at Shannon Airport. As commander-in-chief, as it were, of the armed forces, how can the Minister for Defence be of the view that it is acceptable for Defence Forces personnel to be called out to deal with such a scenario? Is it not his obligation to discuss matters of this nature with his colleague in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, who is initiating an investigation into the events to which I refer, particularly in the context of what the US military is up to at Shannon Airport?

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