Dail told of US reassurance over prisoners

US authorities reconfirmed last week that they would not transit prisoners through Irish territory without the express permission of the Irish authorities, the Dáil was told.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said that although there was no concrete evidence about concerns of alleged use by the US military to transport prisoners to Guantánamo Bay through Shannon airport, the Government had again raised the issue with the US authorities.

Mr Ahern said the Government had made it clear several times to the US authorities that transiting prisoners required Irish authorisation, and the US had confirmed again last week to Irish officials that it had not done such a transit and would not do so without seeking Irish authorisation.

In a row over the use of Shannon airport by the US military, Green Party TD John Gormley claimed the Government adopted a "hypocritical line of 'see no evil, hear no evil' regarding the US".

If the Minister had the "bottle" to arrange for searches of planes going through Shannon airport "I am convinced that he would find that people are being transported to Guantanamo Bay".

However, Mr Ahern said "if a government of the stature of the US government, which has such a connection with this country, gives us an absolute assurance in this regard, we accept it", like Ireland accepted the word of any other country in regard to such transiting.

Mr Ahern accused Deputy Gormley of being a "green hypocrite".

He said "if Deputy Gormley was on this side of the House with Fine Gael and Labour he would have to swallow that pill".