Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if it is intended that there will be changes to the existing regime and operation of US military flights which stop over at Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18045/07]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on whether random checks of flights through Shannon should be put in place in order to validate the claims that the airport is never used for rendition flights; if such checks have been carried out to date; if the views of the Human Rights Commission have been sought on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18442/07]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the Government's policy with regard to the use of Shannon Airport by foreign military or intelligence organisations or contractors of foreign military or intelligence organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18441/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 112, 141 and 174 together.

The arrangements for the overflight and landing in Ireland of US military aircraft, and civilian aircraft used to transport troops, have been in place under successive Governments for some fifty years, and there has been no change in policy. Overflight and landing arrangements for US forces in respect of the Iraq conflict were approved by Dáil Éireann on 20 March 2003 after a lengthy debate.

The current use of Shannon airport by aircraft transporting US troops is in accordance with UN Security Council Resolutions on Afghanistan and Iraq. In relation to Iraq, UN Security Council Resolutions 1511 and 1546 explicitly call on UN member States to assist the multinational force in Iraq. Subsequent Resolutions have annually renewed the mandate of the multinational force, noting also that they are there at the request of the Government of Iraq.

Separate to this issue, the Government are completely opposed to the practice of so-called extraordinary rendition, as were the previous Government. As the Programme for Government makes clear, we will ensure that all relevant legal instruments are used so that the practice of extraordinary rendition does not occur in this State in any form.

Our concerns in relation to this matter have been made clear to the highest levels of the US Government, including by the Taoiseach to President Bush. The Government received specific assurances from the US authorities, confirmed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, that such prisoners have not been transferred through Irish territory, nor would they be, without our permission.

A number of Garda investigations into allegations related to extraordinary rendition have taken place and have found that there is no evidence to support these allegations of illegal activity. I should emphasise that, where the Gardaí have suspicions about a particular aircraft, they have full powers to board and inspect that aircraft. The decision to search a particular aircraft, therefore, if and when warranted in accordance with law, is a matter for An Garda Síochána, and, as the Government have also repeatedly made clear, An Garda Síochána has the powers it needs to investigate all allegations of illegal activity.

I have had detailed correspondence with Dr Maurice Manning, the President of the Irish Human Rights Commission, on all issues related to extraordinary rendition. My officials expect to have further contact with Dr Manning on these matters shortly. I would also note that in their joint statement on extraordinary rendition of 27 June 2006, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Commission of Jurists and the Association for the Prevention of Torture do not call for spot checks, but rather for the inspection of aircraft "where there are grounds for believing... [they are] being used to transport detainees". It has always been the Government's position that in such circumstances, An Garda Síochána should exercise their powers of entry and search of an aircraft.

The Programme for Government also notes that we will seek EU and international support to address deficiencies in aspects of the regulation of civil aviation under the 1944 Chicago Convention. In this regard, Ireland has already taken the lead at EU level in raising possible improvements to the regulation of civil aviation and we are in ongoing discussion with fellow-members of the International Civil Aviation Organisation on this issue.