Madam, - Vincent Browne (Opinion, January 25th) voices a concern that there will be no real political engagement with the issue of US use of Irish territory and airspace for extraordinary rendition - in his words, "planes used for criminal abductions" and "torture centres".
Reading the coverage of last week's Dáil debate, it would be difficult to disagree with his analysis. It is an issue on which you could expect to find unanimity of Irish public opinion: regardless of people's attitudes to US foreign policy, the invasion of Iraq, the war on terror, etc, I believe the Irish public finds torture and its facilitation abhorrent.
The Taoiseach is manifestly failing in his obligation to ensure that Ireland's territory and facilities are not used in connection with practices by another state which violate international law. It is the duty of a government to investigate when there are reasonable grounds to suspect that breaches of international and national law are being committed or facilitated on its territory.
The Taoiseach, Government ministers, opposition spokespersons, and many media commentators continue to focus their debate about "extraordinary renditions" on whether or not prisoners have been or are being transferred through Irish airports. They are missing the point. Where aircraft enter Irish territory or airspace en route to or from the illegal transfer of detainees from other states to situations of actual or likely disappearances or torture, a relationship exists between the use of Irish territory and the act of extraordinary rendition. This indirect facilitation of extraordinary rendition is also a clear breach of the law.
There is substantial evidence that Irish territory has been (and continues to be) used as a transit point for aircraft flying such missions. Therefore Ireland is serving as a link in that chain of illegal activity.
If the Irish Government does not take the correct action at this point, it runs the risk of being brought before the national and European courts. - Yours, etc,
SEAN LOVE, Executive Director, Amnesty International (Irish Section), Fleet Street, Dublin 2.