Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will express condemnation of President Obama's decision to continue to permit the CIA to engage in extraordinary renditions as reported (details supplied); if he will raise the matter with the US Embassy here; and the steps he will take to ensure Shannon Airport is not used by CIA flights. [5243/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's total opposition to the practice of extraordinary rendition has been made clear on many occasions, including to the new US Administration. On 22 January, President Obama signed three Executive Orders and one Presidential Memorandum in relation to the detention policy of the US and related matters, including the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention centre. The Executive Order entitled "Ensuring Lawful Interrogations" establishes a Special Task Force which as part of its remit will "study and evaluate the practices of transferring individuals to other nations in order to ensure that such practices comply with the domestic law, international obligations and policies of the United States and do not result in the transfer of individuals to other nations to face torture or otherwise for the purpose, or with the effect, of undermining or circumventing the commitments or obligations of the United States to ensure the humane treatment of individuals in its custody or control." The Order also included provisions relating to the prohibition of interrogation methods incompatible with the Geneva Conventions, to the expeditious closure of CIA facilities and to ICRC access to prisoners.

The Government will continue to make clear its total opposition to the practice of extraordinary rendition in contacts with the new Administration at both political and official level. This position was repeated at a meeting in Dublin between my officials and US officials to discuss the closing of Guantanamo which took place earlier this week. While we would prefer to see a clear renunciation of the practice of rendition in any circumstances, the measures announced by President Obama are nevertheless welcome and important. We will continue to follow developments, including the eventual findings of the Special Task Force, carefully and will convey any further views to the Administration as necessary.