David Norris (Independent)

I am not debating. I am asking a question and I want the Leader to get answers to this issue. The Government has repeatedly made a weak case to the effect that it had no information concerning the aircraft being used for these illicit purposes. Eventually it said that the embassy had been told by the United States authorities that it was not used and would not be used in future. Will the Leader ask, in addition to the question I have already put, that we be told what personnel, at what level, gave the embassy these assurances? As a secret covert operation, it is covered by the plausible deniability doctrine, which is part of United States policy. Unless these questions are answered, we could be in a situation whereby a civilian kidnapped somewhere such as JFK, where one of these kidnaps occurred, could, strapped into an aircraft, land on Irish soil on the way to be tortured at some other destination. No Member of this House can regard this with other than the utmost seriousness. It will only be stopped if these questions are asked, or if the Garda Síochána uses its power to board that aircraft every single time it lands at Shannon Airport.