David Norris (Independent)

I understand the Cathaoirleach's feelings, but I am sure he will understand mine where a man cannot get justice because of the gutlessness of the media and it uses this as an excuse. I have now removed that excuse from them with the permission of the person involved.

I wish to raise the question of rendition, which emerged in Amnesty International's report. I am asking for a discussion on this matter and an end to the characteristic, continuing and deliberate dishonesty by the Department of Foreign Affairs. It has been made clear that on three instances, which I and others have put on the record in this House on numerous occasions, planes involved in an unbroken rendition circuit used Shannon Airport with the complicity of our authorities. It is like somebody who is asked, "Why did you poison your wife?" and the answer given is, "I never took a hatchet to her in my life". It is deliberately answering the wrong question in order to obfuscate. Let us stop it, because that kind of hoodwinking of the public is exactly what happened when the vote on the Lisbon treaty was lost. The truth would not be told and Mr. Sarkozy is still at it. I understand he is coming here. I hope he gets a robust response here and I hope somebody tells him that we have had enough Marie Antoinettery about the place——