This article is from page 14 of the 2006-06-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
THE majority of Clare’s Oireachtas members remain content to trust the American Government when it says it is not using the county’s international airport for unlawful rendition flights.
With the exception of TD James Breen (Ind), Clare’s TDs and senators see no reason why American military flights into Shannon should be investigated, even after last week’s damning Council of Europe report.
The mood of the TDs reflected that of the members of Clare County Council at the local authority’s adjourned April meeting, where just six members voted in favour of a call to allow Irish authorities investigate the military flights.
Clare’s Minister for State, Tony Killeen, said, “I have always made a distinction between flights carrying prisoners and other flights, and Ireland has traditionally facilitated about 30 countries with military flights through Shannon.
“It does seem strange to me that only US flights attract negative attention,” he said.
“On the basis of this report, there does not seem to be any suggestion that anything would be found should flights be boarded and checked. On that basis, no new case has been made for any change in the arrangement in relation to US flights.”
Agreeing with the junior minister’s sentiment, Senator Brendan Daly said people should be encouraged to read the report.
The west Clare senator, who worked with the report’s author, Senator Dick Marty, on the Council of Europe, said, “clearly the report exonerates Shannon”.
“There was a commitment given by the American authorities to the Irish Government and I am willing to accept that.”
Fine Gael Deputy Pat Breen is also prepared to take the word of the Americans.
As one of only four members of the Council of Europe, he will have the opportunity to comment on the report presented by Senator Marty.
He told The Clare People that he does not condone rendition flights, but does not see any evidence that Shannon has been used for this purpose.
“It is unlikely that the airport is used for this, considering the UK NATO bases are so close by.”
Clare Fianna Fáil Senator Timmy Dooley called for a debate to tease out the details of the Council of Europe report, which he described as “baseless” and “biased” because it contains “no evidence to back up its claims”.
“No evidence is provided to back up the allegations. Emotive language is spattered throughout the report, such as phrases like ‘spider’s web’ and ‘collusion’.
“This clearly shows the report lacks objectivity,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy James Breen remains the sole Clare Oireachtas member to believe the flights should be investigated.
“I support the flights through Shannon, but I don’t condone the rendition flights.”
“If there is nothing there, then there is nothing to hide and there should be no problem with the investigation,” he said.