Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 374: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the latest Amnesty International report on extraordinary rendition which exposes the CIA's practice of using private aircraft operators and front companies to facilitate the United States's illegal rendition programme; and the steps he has taken to ensure that this does not facilitate the commission of crimes at Shannon Airport with greater ease. [15336/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the publication of Amnesty International's thorough and detailed report into the issue of extraordinary rendition. The Government has made clear on numerous occasions its complete opposition to the practice of extraordinary rendition.

The report highlights the difficulties attached to trying to track the aircraft and companies that are said to be involved in this practice. It seems clear that any regime based on specific aircraft registration numbers or operators would be of limited efficacy.

It remains the case that there is a complete lack of any evidence that prisoners have been, or are being, transferred through Shannon Airport. Moreover, nothing in the report questions the value of, or undermines, the categorical, factual assurances we have received from the US authorities that prisoners have not been transferred through Irish territory, nor would they be, without our permission.

The Government is co-operating with a number of Europe-wide investigations into extraordinary rendition. Its reply to the Council of Europe questionnaire on the matter was one of only nine out of 46 replies which were adjudged to be sufficiently comprehensive not to require further clarification. We have said we will look very carefully at any concrete proposals for reform which may emerge.