Air Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 April 2011

Wednesday, 20 April 2011

Ceisteanna (43)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

55 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure the Irish Aviation Authority establishes and maintains an up-to-date register of aircraft known to have been involved in and aircraft operators whose planes have been implicated in rendition and other human rights violations; and his further plans to ensure air traffic control require of these operators detailed information before landing or overflight clearance is granted and his plans to target these operators for particular attention in compliance, monitoring and inspections. [8607/11]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Deputy Leo Varadkar)

The Irish Aviation Authority's remit is set down in the Irish Aviation Authority Act, 1993 and this does not entail the types of checks that the Deputy suggests. As set out in response to earlier questions on this subject, I am advised that the last Government received unique assurances from the highest level of a friendly State that no extraordinary rendition has taken place through Ireland. I am also advised that it received legal advice that it was entitled under international law to rely on those assurances which were unqualified and unequivocal, i.e. that no prisoners have been subject to extraordinary rendition through Ireland. In these circumstances, I do not propose implementing the measures outlined by the Deputy.