A SHANNON based Labour councillor has told the Limerick Post that he wants his Party to carry out investigations in relation to claims regarding the use of Shannon Airport by US military aircraft.
Cllr Tony McMahon (Lab) was responding to the human rights activists group, Shannonwatch which accuses the Tanaiste, Eamon Gilmore of “doing a U-turn” on his position in relation to the issue.
Shannonwatch asserts that before he became Tanaiste, Eamon Gilmore “spoke passionately about the lack of inspections of US aircraft through Shannon, suspected of being involved in rendition flights and the transportation of terrorism suspects to secret locations.”
“In March 2006 Deputy Gilmore highlighted a Council of Europe statement that the European Convention on Human Rights can be violated through omission to act”, said a Shannonwatch spokesperson.
“At the time Mr Gilmore said that not knowing was not good enough, and a few months later he demanded to know if the Irish Government was going to start inspections at Shannon”.
The spokesperson says that Mr Gilmore, who now has the power to ensure that inspections take place, has had an “outrageous change of heart”.
“He says that there is no evidence that rendition through Irish airports has occurred, and that the government has no reason to call into question the value of the assurances received at a high level from the US authorities.”
Cllr Tony McMahon told the Limerick Post that his party should be fulfilling promises made before the election.
“I expect the Labour party to stand by the promise made to carry out proper investigations into this issue.
“I believe that if a party criticises government on any policy, they should do what they can to change it once they get into power. I don’t think it’s acceptable to deviate from the previous policy; it’s not fair to members or to voters to disregard promises made before the election.
“If the matter was deemed important enough for investigation before the election, nothing should have changed”.
Shannonwatch believe an investigation is merited as they claim there is information to indicate that Shannon was used by rendition/torture flights.
