Results 7,281-7,300 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy will appreciate that the origins of the Iraq intervention by western armies occurred at a time when the Government consistently argued against military intervention and asked that more time be given to the weapons inspectors to discover whether there were weapons of mass destruction——

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——and whether the issues could be dealt with differently. That was the consistent position of the Government at the time. Deputy Gormley seems to have forgotten that in the meantime a mandate from the United Nations Security Council was unanimously adopted and that it requires member states of the United Nations to facilitate and assist the UN forces in the normal way in carrying out...

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: May I answer the question? Deputies may make comments afterwards. We have been assured at the highest level by the——

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——United States, through the Secretary of State and at diplomatic level, that there has never been a rendition flight through Irish airspace or Irish airports.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Experts who have examined the case have stated that in their view it would be highly improbable that the United States would ever have selected Shannon Airport as a place through which rendition flights would pass. I accept that view because, first, we have a solemn assurance they have never taken place and, second, I regard it as improbable that anyone would attempt to use Irish airspace or...

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: Members of the Garda Síochána are fully entitled to search any aircraft if they have a reasonable belief that a crime is being committed on board, and it would be a crime to detain a person against his or her will on a flight, other than on foot of an extradition treaty which is not relevant to this case. As Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, I have repeatedly called on any...

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I remind the House that the President of the Human Rights Commission, Dr. Maurice Manning, said yesterday there was no smoking gun. Members should pay some attention to what he says rather than misquoting him and attempting to suggest that Ireland has been used for rendition flights. It has not.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is a UN mandate for the presence of foreign contingents in Iraq. It expires at the end of this year and the Iraqi Government has applied for it to be extended.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: I want the Deputy to know the facts before he begins speaking. I never said there was a mandate for the invasion.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Government has consistently opposed and condemned unlawful rendition of any person by the United States. We are unequivocal on that point and my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has made his position absolutely clear in that regard. Second, as it might be asked here, he and I are on the public record as rejecting the circumstances in which people are detained in Guantanamo....

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The military flights are authorised and above board. It is our duty as a member of the United Nations to support the mandate which the United Nations Security Council has unanimously given for the presence of those troops and, by implication, for their rotation.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: We have received categorical, unambivalent and totally clear assurances——

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——that at no time in the past has Shannon Airport ever been used for rendition.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: There is no point in shouting me down. The Deputy keeps shouting me down. He is not at one of his own meetings. He should let me finish.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Sinn Féin Deputies might listen carefully to the following. If I were to reject the solemn unequivocal word of three senior officials of the United States Administration in this regard, and disbelieve them, it would be a serious step.

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy should let me finish. If relations between Ireland and America were at such a low ebb that we could not believe members of the American Administration on this issue, and that we were naive to believe them——

Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: ——much rethinking would have to be done. I say this to the members of the Sinn Féin Party — "You may ask this Government to regard the assurances they receive from the American Administration as false but, if you do so, do not go knocking down the door to get into the White House on St. Patrick's Day."

Order of Business (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: It is proposed to take No. 15, motion re leave to introduce Supplementary Estimates [Votes 1, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 30, 32, 35 and 37]; No. 16, motion re referral of Supplementary Estimates [Votes 1, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 30, 32, 35 and 37] to select committee; No. 25, Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2006 — Report Stage (resumed) and Final Stage; No. 26, Health (Nursing Homes) (Amendment)...

Order of Business (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: It is not usual for motions of this nature to be the subject of a division or a debate in this House. They are usually referred to a committee. I remind Deputy Eamon Ryan that the deputy leader of his party said, in respect of the N9 road to Waterford——

Order of Business (29 Nov 2006)

Michael McDowell: The Deputies are trying to shout me down.