Further conflict and protest over the use of Shannon Airport by the US military is expected in the next few weeks as the Americans begin the massive operation of moving another 120,000 troops to Iraq.
A significant number of these are expected to be flown through Shannon Airport, prompting further protest from anti-war groups. The Government could not say yesterday how many were expected, with sources saying that many would pass through Frankfurt, Prestwick and other airports besides Shannon.
However, figures released yesterday by the Department of Transport show that despite high-profile decisions by some carriers to land at Frankfurt instead of Shannon, the Co Clare airport is being as heavily used by civil troop-carrying planes this month as last.
Garda numbers at the airport have trebled in recent weeks and Supt John Kerin of Ennis Garda station confirmed yesterday that an additional 40 gardaí from the Garda college at Templemore are to be deployed there.
He added that five extra sergeants are to be based at Shannon Garda station from early next week. The Grassroots Network Against War (GNAW) organisation is planning a demonstration at the airport tomorrow.
Some 74 civilian aircraft carrying troops and their personal weapons were approved to land at Shannon between March 1st and March 25th. This compares with 82 in the month of February and suggests no fall-off in the use of the airport by the US military.
The Department of Foreign Affairs does not have figures for military aircraft landings and overflights for any of March. There were 16 military landings and 219 overflights in February compared to 33 landings and 230 overflights in January.
Labour's foreign affairs spokesman Mr Michael D. Higgins said last night that many of the US reinforcements would pass through Shannon, involving Ireland even more deeply in a war that is clearly outside of international law.
He said that when the Government decided to provide facilities at Shannon, they may have believed that the war would be over in just a matter of days. "But that is clearly not going to be the case. The Iraqi forces have not collapsed. The Iraqi population has not risen up against Saddam Hussein. Progress by US-led forces has been slower than expected.
"All the indications are that this is going to be a prolonged and bitter campaign with many, many casualties and the decision to offer facilities at Shannon makes us a party to it, regardless of what Mr Ahern may claim," he said.
Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins said yesterday that it would be "intolerable" if any of the US reinforcements of 120,000 were to be facilitated at Shannon Airport in their journey to Iraq. "The demand that the Government close Shannon to the US war machine will intensify in the coming weeks," he said.