Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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543. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if any legal or other assistance by his Department will be provided in respect of people (details supplied) who, according to the rendition project, reprieve, travelled on aircraft that had stopped in Shannon on the way to or from being picked up and rendered elsewhere but did not travel through Shannon and have been at Guantanamo for ten years and eight years, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48456/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government states that the Government will enforce the prohibition of the use of Irish airspace, airports and related facilities for purposes not in line with the dictates of international law. Ireland does not tolerate and will not tolerate the use of our airspace or airports for any illegal purpose, including torture, rendition or the unauthorised detention of any individual.I welcome the publication last week of the United States Senate Intelligence Committee’s summary report on its investigation of the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation programme. The report does not identify specific countries where interrogation or detention took place, nor countries through which prisoners were transferred. No information has been provided to substantiate assertions that Ireland has permitted such activity or that any person has been subjected to extraordinary rendition through Irish airspace and airports. It has been made clear by the current and previous Governments that such activity would be considered completely unacceptable and illegal.

Together with our EU partners, Ireland has encouraged the US to bring about the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in the shortest possible time and that detainees should be brought to trial or released as soon as possible. The Government has previously agreed to receive former detainees for resettlement in Ireland.

I am not aware of any request to the Irish Government from or on behalf of the individuals in question for assistance. As with all foreign nationals, any request for consular assistance would be a matter in the first instance for their own Governments.