Shannon Airport inspections
Senator Martin Conway moved from congratulations to a strong attack on US military use of Shannon Airport. He argued Ireland should preserve neutrality and called for strict inspections of all US military flights to prevent rendition.
Like many others, I have been watching nightly what is going on in America with the newly elected President Trump. Sometimes I wonder if it is a nightmare from which I will wake up or is it reality. Unfortunately, it is very real. For many years I have taken a position on the US military's use of Shannon Airport and believe it is not appropriate that it should have free access to it. There should be inspections. Even as a councillor, I tabled motions on the issue at Clare County Council, all of which were defeated, which was not surprising. Now that the newly elected President has made it clear that certain forms of torture are quite appropriate in his view and that he will endorse their use, we need to have extreme inspections of military planes using Shannon Airport. The time is appropriate to have a debate on whether it is appropriate for the US military to use Shannon Airport.
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This is a neutral country. We have always prided ourselves on our neutrality. I do not accept the business case for the US military using Shannon Airport. So be it if it goes to Germany or some other country with its business. With the current leadership in America, I would be quite happy to see that happen. In the intervening period I call on the Leader to request the relevant authorities in this country to ensure all US military flights will be subjected to extreme inspections to ensure no rendition is taking place.