This article is from page 14 of the 2006-02-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has said he is satisfied that none of the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay came through Shannon Airport on rendition flights.
His remarks came as senators of his party blocked moves to have a Seanad inquiry into claims that the US was using Shannon Airport for the illegal transport of prisoners.
Speaking to reporters at the Ógra Fianna Fáil conference in Ennis at the weekend, the Taoiseach said that he has been told categorically that “nobody in Guantanamo Bay came through Shannon.”
And he added that the Irish position had “always been that people in Guantanamo Bay should be given their full human rights.”
A provisional committee had been set up in the Seanad under the Cathaoirleach, Fianna Fail’s Mary O’Rourke, to investigate allegations concerning prisoners being transported for torture.
But when it came to moving a resolution which would see the committee get acceptance from the full Seanad, Fianna Fáil senators objected at their weekly meeting. This led to Senator O’Rourke to drop the proposal.
Senator David Norris (Ind) said that the people “are entitled to know why it (the committee of inquiry) has been shut down, especially in view of the performance of this grey little Government that seems so intimidated by the United States authorities.”
In a media interview this week, Fianna Fáil Senator Timmy Dooley, said that Clare Fianna Fáil councillors were also opposed to any new inquiry.
“A group of Fianna Fáil councillors met and decided that they were not in favour of the establishment of this committee. That was in line with the TDs’ and Senators’ thinking. There are already two committees investigating these accusations and I don’t see how a third investigation would unearth any further facts.”
Senator Dooley added that for Ireland to give approval to the Seanad committee “would be seen at this time as a hostile act.”
Earlier in the week, an angry Senator Norris rubbished claims that jobs would be lost and US companies would pull out of Clare if any inquiry was set up into the US chartered flights.
“US companies are concerned with profits. They are not influenced by transient political issues. We will not lose jobs,” he said.
He added that he personally had “very warm feelings for the US people, but not for this criminal administration.”
The Government has shortly to answer questions about the flights through Shannon from both the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.