Order of Business - 20th December 2007

Order of Business - 20th December 2007
Senator David Norris: I welcome the fact that
the motion on Ingrid Betancourt would be passed
unanimously and I congratulate those who have
persisted in pushing this matter. I gather the
motion is in the name of all of us. It is a matter I
raised some years ago, but others have brought it
to this successful conclusion and I congratulate
and compliment them.
In the light of this agreement and the easy passage
of this motion, I ask the Leader to consider,
not of course today but at the opening of the next

which is a motion about the production, stockpiling
and use of cluster munitions.
Senator Ivor Callely: Hear, hear.
Senator David Norris: This should have an easy
passage because yesterday at the Joint Committee
on Foreign Affairs this was tabled in the
names of Deputy M. Higgins and myself and it
was passed unanimously. It is an important
matter on which Ireland should take a stance. We
will be holding a conference on this subject in
Ireland and in advance of this conference it would
be useful if we passed this motion and assisted
the Government in the production of legislation.
Senator Ivor Callely: Hear, hear.
Senator David Norris: The other matter I want
to raise was also generated by the Joint Committee
on Foreign Affairs. Yesterday we had a meeting
with a former distinguished Member of this
House, Dr. Maurice Manning, who is now the
head of the Irish Human Rights Commission. He
presented to us the views of the Human Rights
commission on the question of rendition and, in
particular, the involvement of Shannon Airport.
There was a robust exchange of views between a
small number of us who supported the commission
and others who tended to waffle a bit.
It is an important matter. The 22nd Seanad
examined the matter in considerable detail and
was well on the way to establishing a special committee
of Seanad E´ ireann to investigate it.
Regrettably, that was aborted but we now have
this useful report. We should examine this, particularly
in light of the fact that I was able yesterday
to put on record the registration numbers of two
CIA aircraft still using Irish air space which
landed and were refuelled at Shannon Airport in
the past six weeks and which have been known
to be involved in rendition. Despite the protestations
of the Government and despite the fact
that they routinely answer questions that are not
asked, this practice is continuing.
11 o’clock
Nobody I know has asserted that we know that
people were dragged through Shannon Airport.
It may have happened — we do not know.
However, I managed to get the
Government to accept yesterday that
we know that in the unbroken circuit
of rendition, in which civilians were kidnapped
and taken to places of torture, this country
assisted by refuelling those planes. That is a blot
on the name of Ireland