Petitions Committee to hear from Transport Minister on US Military use of Shannon

The Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport Paschal Donohoe TD will appear before Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions tomorrow to consider a petition calling for an investigation into the US Military and CIA use of Shannon Airport and Irish airspace.

17 February 2015

Dr Edward Horgan, Margaretta D’Arcy and Dr John Lannon of the Shannonwatch organisation addressed the Committee on their petition in June, a delegation from the Committee visited Shannon in October and senior diplomats from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade appeared before the Committee in December. The meeting tomorrow will focus on the role of the Minister and his Department in relation to the issues raised in the petition.

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.

“Tomorrow’s meeting with Minister Donohoe will focus on clarifying a number of matters particularly around the issue of sidearms transported on civilian charters. We will wish to ascertain the extent to which this is being audited or monitored. What is the definition of a sidearm? And, must all sidearms carried on a flight belong, solely, to the personnel on board?”

The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 18 February in Committee Room 3, LH 2000 at 4 pm, commencing in private session.

Public proceedings are anticipated to start at 4:15 pm and can be viewed online here.

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

Ends/

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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