David Norris (Independent)

The other matter I want to raise was also generated by the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. Yesterday we had a meeting with a former distinguished Member of this House, Dr. Maurice Manning, who is now the head of the Irish Human Rights Commission. He presented to us the views of the Human Rights commission on the question of rendition and, in particular, the involvement of Shannon Airport. There was a robust exchange of views between a small number of us who supported the commission and others who tended to waffle a bit.

It is an important matter. The 22nd Seanad examined the matter in considerable detail and was well on the way to establishing a special committee of Seanad Éireann to investigate it. Regrettably, that was aborted but we now have this useful report. We should examine this, particularly in light of the fact that I was able yesterday to put on record the registration numbers of two CIA aircraft still using Irish air space which landed and were refuelled at Shannon Airport in the past six weeks and which have been known to be involved in rendition. Despite the protestations of the Government and despite the fact that they routinely answer questions that are not asked, this practice is continuing.

Nobody I know has asserted that we know that people were dragged through Shannon Airport. It may have happened — we do not know. However, I managed to get the Government to accept yesterday that we know that in the unbroken circuit of rendition, in which civilians were kidnapped and taken to places of torture, this country assisted by refuelling those planes. That is a blot on the name of Ireland.