Shannonwatch Call for Support for TDs Who Attempted to Inspect US Military Airplane

Press Release - Shannonwatch, 23rd Feb 2015

Shannonwatch are urging their supporters to come to Ennis District Court on Tuesday February 24th to support TDs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace who attempted to inspect a US military plane at Shannon last July. Their alleged offence is illegal entrance into a restricted area of the airport, and their action was in response to the failure of the authorities to inspect US aircraft at Shannon.

Shannonwatch have repeatedly called for an end to the US military use of Shannon. They also call for inspection of all military and suspected CIA aircraft at the airport for as long as they are being allowed to pass through.

Clare Daly and Mick Wallace have made it clear that as legislators and as citizens they have a responsibility to uphold Irish neutrality. They have made every attempt inside the Dáil to highlight Ireland's complicity in war at Shannon, but the government has refused to allow the Gardai to inspect US military aircraft.

Mick Wallace said: "Over the last two and a half years we have gone to great efforts to raise this issue in the Dáil. Former Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and former Minister for Justice Alan Shatter repeatedly said to us to produce the evidence, and that is what we have attempted to do."

"It is pretty clear to most people that the use of Shannon by the US military who are engaged in several wars, who occupy sovereign states illegally and commit war crimes, is something that this State needs to put a stop to because this has gone on for far too long" he added.

Clare Daly said "We believe that there is very definitive evidence to say that our airport is being used to facilitate the US war machine and we don't believe that it is something in the interests of the Irish people. We will be rigorously defending this. We don't believe that we did anything wrong at Shannon. We actually believe that we were doing what we should be doing".

John Lannon of Shannonwatch added "Mick Wallace and Clare Daly were doing the Irish people and indeed the people of the Middle East and other parts of the world a great service by doing what they did. They have gone in search of the evidence that the government and the Gardai insist they need but will not look for themselves. The two TDs have highlighted the ongoing serious nature of Irish support for the US war machine to the people of Ireland, and have put pressure on the government to ensure they live up to their responsibilities under national and international law".