Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for coming before the House. I am happy he is here but I would have thought the Minister would have attended because this is an issue which has been exercising many people, not least the last leader of the Labour Party, as evidenced for 15 minutes on radio on Sunday. I do not say that to castigate the Minister of State, for whom, as he is aware, I have the height of respect. I regard the scant rather than hard information given as a lot of waffle. The Minister of State said, "The Department of Foreign Affairs has raised this matter with the US and I understand the US authorities have confirmed to the Department of Foreign Affairs that prisoners have not been transported through Irish airports". I wanted to know if such aeroplanes had been boarded by gardaí or security people to check what was on board. Do we just blindly accept the word given? I am rather dissatisfied with the reply but I accept it is what the Minister of State was given and I thank him for it.