1 DFómh 2014, 09:45
A delegation from the the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions will travel to Shannon tomorrow Thursday 2 October for a series of meetings on the US military use of the airport and Irish airspace.
1 October 2014
The delegation will meet with representatives from the Shannon Airport Authority, the local Gardaí and Shannonwatch (draft programme below).
The visit to Shannon follows a petition and presentation to the Committee in June by Dr Edward Horgan, Margaretta D’Arcy and Dr John Lannon of the Shannonwatch organisation.
Chairman of the Committee Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD says: “Tomorrow’s visit to Shannon Airport is a valuable opportunity to follow up on the petition by Shannonwatch earlier this year. Central to the petition by Shannonwatch is a call for the Government to investigate the use of Shannon Airport and Irish airspace for the transit of US armed troops, munitions and other war material, and for the refuelling of CIA-associated aircraft involved in extraordinary rendition.
“The petitioners have also made serious claims that complaints or requests made to Gardaí at Shannon have not been followed up. The series of meetings on the ground in Shannon tomorrow will assist the Committee in following up this controversial issue. We will also be able to asses first-hand Shannonwatch’s call for an independent inquiry in relation to what they perceive as the failure to investigate aircraft suspected to be involved in illegal rendition”
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Draft Programme - Visit to Shannon Airport on 2 October 2014
11:30 Meeting with Shannon Airport Authority (SAA):
Rose Hines, Chairperson SAA
Neil Pakey CEO
Niall Moloney, Head of Operations
12:30 Meeting with An Garda Síochána, Chief Superintendent, Ennis
13:15 Tour of the Facilities at Shannon Airport
15:00 Travel to Ennis - Meeting with Shannonwatch (TBC)
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 Fein
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