Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 459: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to claims (details supplied) relating to a Gulfstream-V jet; if his attention has further been drawn to claims that the plane has flown between Washington DC and destinations that include the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba and US overseas military bases, as well as Iraq and Afghanistan; that Shannon Airport is used as a refuelling post on such flights and that the flights are for the clandestine transport of enemy combatants to undisclosed locations for extraordinary rendition, that is, flying captured terrorist suspects and prisoners of war from one country to another for detention and interrogation; if he has investigated these claims; if the use of Shannon for such purposes has ever been sought from or notified to the authorities here by the US Government; if such use is compatible with domestic law and the State's international legal commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1412/05]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of various press reports claiming that the aircraft cited in the reports mentioned by the Deputy was used in December 2001 by US authorities for the transportation of Al-Qaeda suspects from Sweden to Egypt. I understand, however, that the articles do not allege that any stops were made in Shannon on that particular occasion or offer any proof that prisoners have been transported through Shannon by the US authorities.

The aircraft referred to by the Deputy is a civilian-registered aircraft. The regulation of the activities of civilian aircraft is primarily a matter for the Minister for Transport, who has made inquiries in the matter, and outlined his findings to this House in replies to parliamentary questions on 7 October 2004, 19 October 2004, 2 November 2004 and 23 November 2004.

I reiterate my previous statement to the House that the Government has no information to indicate that prisoners are being transported through Irish airports to and from Guantanamo or elsewhere. Furthermore, the US authorities have confirmed that Irish airports are not used for this purpose and that they would not seek to use Irish airports for this purpose in the future without seeking the authorisation of the Irish authorities.

The transport of prisoners through Irish airports under the circumstances referred to by the Deputy would be illegal under Irish law. This has been made clear to the US authorities.