Vol. 372 No. 9
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the dates and methods of communication of any inquiry to Southern Air Transport regarding the reports that the airline carried arms from the United State via Shannon Airport which were delivered to Iran; and the explanation, if any, which has been received from the airline.
21.
asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that Southern Air Transport have claimed on several occasions that no communication has been received from the Irish Government, seeking clarfication about reports that the airline had carried arms via Shannon Airport last year; if an acknowledgement has been received from the airline in response to any inquiries made by his Department; if so, the date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 21 together.
In January 1987 and again twice in February 1987 my Department requested Southern Air Transport by telex to comment on reports in the Irish media that they had been involved in the shipment of arms from the United States to Iran through Shannon Airport.
In the absence of any response or acknowledgement, other than the "answer back" of the company, and in view of Press reports that the company had denied receipt of any communication, the Irish Embassy in Washington at our request made direct contact with Southern Air Transport, who denied on 1 May 1987 that any of their flights through Shannon Airport had ever carried any armaments.
Will the Minister confirm that on 5 March 1987 a Department of Communications spokesperson described as a lie the denial by Southern Air Transport that inquiries had been made? Will the Minister inform the US through their embassy that he considers it an unacceptable abuse by a nation with whom we have friendly relations to use our sovereign territory for such activity, if it occurred? Would he regard such action as an insult to the Irish people in view of our neutrality?
Could I ask the Deputy for the date he gave?
It was 5 March 1987.
As I indicated in my reply, contact was made from my Department by telex but the company denied having had any communication from my Department. That caused my Department to get in touch with the Irish Embassy in Washington and the denial came from there. With regard to the rest of the Deputy's question, my Department and, of course, the Government regard it as very important that the laws of this country be observed by people using our airports. Article 6 of the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Order, 1973, S.I. No. 224 of 1973, prohibits the conveyance of munitions of war on aircraft. Article 5 of the same Order provides for the Minister by direction to grant exemptions to the provisions of Article 6. Such exemptions are normally sought and granted in respect of the importation or exportation of arms for the Defence Forces or the Garda or where a bodyguard accompanying a visiting dignitary would carry a hand gun. However, I want to re-emphasise what I have said, that the Department and the Government would regard it as a very serious matter if munitions of any kind contrary to all our laws were landed even in transit at any of our airports.
We are aware from very widespread reports that this was a covert action. What action are the Government taking now to ensure that transport of arms in such covert action, so covert that the President of the US seemingly was not aware of it, does not take place, that the law is not broken and that, particularly in view of their record, this company, Southern Air Transport, who were wholly owned by the CIA up to 1970 and used primarily by the US Government for the shipment of arms to fight régimes and legitimate Governments including the Nicaraguan Government should be prohibited from the use of Shannon——
The Deputy is embarking on a long statement.
Will the Minister agree to consider the banning of this airline from using our airports?
I assure the Deputy that our Customs and Excise have been alerted at Shannon in the case of all airlines operating into and out of Shannon to be sure that our laws in this regard are respected.
Question No. 4, please.
A final question. In view of the restrictions on Customs and Excise we have heard about, will the Minister agree to ask Customs and Excise to take special care to examine any such landings by Southern Air Transport at our airports especially?
I am not aware of any restrictions on Customs and Excise officials. I can assure the Deputy that our Customs and Excise officials have been informed that it is important to be alert and to see to it that the law of this land is observed.
From the reports the Minister has received from the Embassy in Washington and those from the Customs and Excise officials at Shannon can he tell the House exactly what the airline was carrying on the particular dates as its aircraft travelled through Shannon?
I am afraid I have not got that information in my brief. I was asked a specific question and provided the answer. If the Deputy wants to pursue it further she may do so with my Department.
