Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. For the information of the Minister, it is Learjet 35, No. N71PG, which is reportedly a CIA aircraft. Obviously, if CIA planes were to land at Shannon Airport and potentially were to have prisoners inside, it would be a very serious matter that the Government would want to investigate. I do not think neutrality is compatible with a policy of allowing soldiers to land and allowing aircraft to be used that then go on to kill innocent Iraqis, Afghans and so on. I do not think that is neutrality.

What is the approach of the Government to the question of drone strikes? The first official release of figures claims close to 3,000 people were killed as a result of drone strikes between 2009 and 2015. There is the horrific situation where Obama signs a kill list; effectively, it is a judicial action but it is non-judicial assassination. There is no oversight whatsoever. They decide to kill people outside of combat. Does the Irish Government have a view on it?

See this speech in context