Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 206: To ask the Minister for Transport if, in view of the recent decision by the UN human rights committee to investigate human rights abuses by the US, including the treatment of persons detained in Afghanistan, Guantanamo, Iraq and other places of detention, an inspection will be carried out of US aircraft carrying military personnel landing at Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30825/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I understand, based on information from the Department of Foreign Affairs, that the investigation by the UN human rights committee mentioned in the Deputy's question may be the periodic appearance by the Government of the US at the human rights committee meeting in Geneva, which is ongoing.

The US, like all states which are party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR, submits periodic reports to the human rights committee on its compliance with its obligations under the ICCPR. A delegation representing the state party then appears at a session of the committee and answers questions from committee members on its periodic report. Non-governmental organisations are invited to submit comments or shadow reports on the reports submitted by their governments. This is the normal practice of the committee.

My Department has no plans to carry out inspections of US aircraft carrying military personnel landing at Shannon Airport. Inspections of aircraft for safety reasons are the responsibility of the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA. Requests for exemptions under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order 1973, amended in 1989, are received from civilian air carriers carrying military troops with their personal weapons and-or carrying munitions. As the day-to-day oversight of aviation safety falls within the remit of the IAA, all applications under the above order, including details of the cargo carried, are submitted to the IAA for their observations. The IAA ensures all such requests are compliant with current safety regulations for the safe transport of these goods by air as approved by International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO.

These applications are also sent to the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Foreign Affairs for their observations, and to the Department of Defence for information. Should any of these bodies express an objection to the operation of these flights, I would refuse to grant an exemption under the 1973 order.