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EAMON GILMORE has said he has been assured by the United States that it has not used Shannon Airport for rendition flights, despite an American court case appearing to indicate otherwise.
The Tánaiste and foreign affairs minister told party backbencher Joanna Tuffy that he had sought assurances from the United States that it had not used the airport to transfer prisoners between the US and other territories.
In a reply to a series of parliamentary questions from Tuffy, Gilmore said the US had offered an assurance “that no such prisoners had been transferred through Irish territory, nor would they be without our express permission”.
“The Government has no reason to call into question the value of the assurances received at a high level from the US authorities in this matter,” Gilmore said.
Tuffy’s questions had followed the emergence of a legal dispute between two companies in New York, both of them sub-contracted to provide flight services on behalf of the US government and its Air Force.
One of the companies is suing the other for over €600,000, which has already been awarded by the State Supreme Court, in unpaid costs for rendition flights which it claims includes services through Shannon.
“None of the various investigations into allegations of extraordinary rendition, including those carried out by the Council of Europe, have revealed any evidence that rendition through Irish airports has occurred,” Gilmore said.
“Nor is there any new information or allegation linking Irish airports to acts of extraordinary rendition.”
Gilmore is currently in New York attending the General Assembly of the United Nations.
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He’ll take the Americans word for it … Ha ha
Is this the same Eamon Gilmore who demanded that the Government inspect these flights in 2007? who said that “… Government’s response is that it has received diplomatic assurances from the United States Government that it is not happening through Shannon. It has accepted those assurances.
The Human Rights Commission said that is not sufficient to comply with our human rights obligations ad that what is required is inspection of the aircraft.” (http://www.labour.ie/blog/2007/12/12/extraordinary-rendition-is-an-attack-on-human-rights/) Who also said in 2006 that ‘not knowing is not good enough’ (http://www.labour.ie/press/listing/20060301155400.html)
Seismic shift in Irish politics my eye!
Eamon, stop bending over
What is the point in voting anymore. Democracy truly is an illusion. Say the morally right thing in opposition then reverse the position when in power to keep the masters of the universe happy. What a sham it all is.
Democracy ? That was a few light years ago in the good old days and then in crept DICTATORSHIP !
Its a bit early for bed time stories.
Sold out to power , money – as in big salary! And I bet an invitation to Paddy’s Day next year in Washington DC.
sire he claims that he was a republican Socialist one time too – how many Party’s ago was that ???????
Does the assurance given suggest perhaps that permission may have been given previously? Only asking.
I threw on "Fahrenheit 9/11" last night, been a few years since I last saw it, and the main issues raised in it are to do with the people taking the governments word as gospel.
Grow some balls Eamon.
no new information linking shannon to rendition what about the old information linking shannon to rendition?
This is really gonna get Michael D loads of left wing votes! Not. At last he had the guts to protest outside the American Embassy
This, on top of saying that Nice Treaty was dead after the first referendum and then a few days later telling his buddys in the US embassy that the Irish would support it the next time around. But why are we surprised? Same old, same old. Plus ça change. Nothing changes. Wonder what Michael D has to say about this?
Well unfortunately we gave to keep the yanks happy these days
LMAO! Actually ROFL!
It is the US military that provides a substantial amount of the funds that keeps Shannon operating. I’m sure that changing to a UK destination wouldn’t be as big an inconvenience for the US Mil as the closure of that bog-sodden airport will be for Shannon.
While that might be true Evin, and I’m from Shannon, the fact is most of us have respect for human rights and don’t just look the other way for the benefit of the local economy, it’s called "having a conscience".
A spineless people led (and I use that term loosely) by a spineless government.
Think about it. We do as we’re told by US/EU/IMF. We capitulate at every turn.
Fighting Irish my ass
Grow up Ireland!
Unless you’re going to forgo the cash you have to accept the consequences of taking the Kings Shilling. The US will never tell you what’s on those planes so this is all (idle) speculation.
have your say