Petitions Committee to consider US Military use of Shannon with Minister Charlie Flanagan TD

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions will meet tomorrow afternoon with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan TD to consider a petition calling for an investigation into the US Military and CIA use of Shannon Airport and Irish airspace.

16 June 2015

Dr Edward Horgan, Margaretta D’Arcy and Dr John Lannon of the Shannonwatch organisation addressed the Committee on their petition last year, and a delegation from the Committee visited Shannon in October to hear a range of perspectives on the issue.

The Committee also engaged with Niall Burgess, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as with Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe TD, who discussed issues raised in the petition relevant to his Department.   

Chairman of the Committee Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD says: “This petition is a request to the Oireachtas Petitions Committee to examine the legislative and legal international peace and accountability implications that arise from the authorisation by successive Irish Governments from 2001 to date, of the use of Shannon airport and Irish airspace for the transit of United States armed troops, munitions and other war materials, and of the refuelling of CIA associated aircraft involved in the so-called extraordinary rendition of prisoners.

“Last October, a Committee delegation travelled to Co Clare for a valuable series of meetings with airport officials, Gardaí and Shannonwatch representatives. Some of those we met pointed to the fact that Ireland’s traditional military neutrality is not a fundamental law or principle enshrined in our Constitution, but rather a foreign policy pursued by successive governments over the decades. Tomorrow’s meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade will afford the Committee an insight into this complex and often controversial policy area.”

The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 17 June at 4 pm in Committee Room 3, Leinster House 2000.

Committee proceedings can be followed live here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.

Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie

Committee Membership
Deputies:
Richard Boyd-Barrett, Independent
Noel Harrington, Fine Gael
Michael Healy-Rae, Independent
Seamus Kirk, Fianna Fáil
Michael P. Kitt, Fianna Fáil
Pádraig MacLochlainn (Chairman), Sinn Féin
Helen McEntee, Fine Gael
Michelle Mulherin, Fine Gael
Derek Nolan (Vice-Chair), Labour
Patrick O'Donovan, Fine Gael
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin
Sean Kenny, Labour
John Halligan, Independent
Jack Wall, Labour

Senators:
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, Sinn Féin
Jimmy Harte, Labour
Tony Mulcahy, Fine Gael
Susan O’Keeffe, Labour
Ned O'Sullivan, Fianna Fáil