John Gormley

– McDowell and Ahern’s faith in ‘assurances’ from US Govt is either disingenuous or naive

Statement by Green Party Foreign affairs spokesperson John Gormley TD: “Justice Minister Michael McDowell said in the Dáil today that he accepts assurances from the US that there were no prisoners on board any of the 147 CIA-operated flights that have landed in Irish airports in recent years.

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Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesperson John Gormley TD reacted to the publication today of a draft report by the European Parliament’s committee on the CIA’s alleged use of European countries for the transport and illegal detention of prisoners.

Deputy Gormley said: “It is clear that flights used by the CIA in the purposes of ‘extraordinary rendition’ passed through Shannon airport. This represents a clear breach of international law. Ireland has, and apparently more than once, played its part in the extra-judicial detainment and transport of citizens – in some cases to countries where the violent torture of prisoners is commonplace. CIA-operated aircraft made nearly 150 stopovers at Irish airports, according to the draft report.

“Fianna Fail continues to bury its head in the sand on this issue, and on the wider issue of our complicity in relation to the war in Iraq. The very fact that Minister Dermot Ahern continues to claim that this is part of a 50 year standing arrangement shows that he is living in denial. A report from his own Department of Foreign Affairs states very clearly that the arrangement for military stopovers with the US was on an ‘exceptional basis’. Are we to presume then, that allowing flights used for rendition purposes to pass through Shannon was on a very exceptional basis?

“We hope that our Green colleagues in the European Parliament will make the Minister sweat when he appears before them in Brussels on Thursday.”

Mr. Gormley: It is important that we debate this issue and I am glad that the Government has put forward this motion.  My colleague, Deputy Boyle, has previously suggested that we use our pension funds in ethical ways and this may have been alluded to earlier, but certainly the suggestion that has come from our AWEPA group is worthy of consideration.  What AWEPA has suggested, and what the Green Party has previously suggested, is that we look at the pension funds in a creative and constructive way and that we should not use our pensions money to invest in harmful products such as tobacco, alcohol and armaments.  AWEPA is suggesting that we divest Irish pension funds from Sudan.  It is a suggestion which the Government Deputies ought to consider.  AWEPA states clearly that while the diplomatic deadlock persists, this is a means of applying extra pressure on Khartoum and that President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan has rejected the plan to allow the African Union UN force to be deployed in Darfur by 1 January next.  If we were to take the action AWEPA is suggesting, it would be a small step, which perhaps some would regard as insignificant but which would set the ball rolling for a much wider campaign at European Union level.  We can light that torch.  If that is done and all of the European Union countries were to act together on this, the effect would be significant.  That is why it is important that the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, takes that initiative to his colleagues in the European Union as a way forward. (more…)

I am currently distributing a newsletter in the constituency which makes reference to our recent Private Member’s Bill on noise pollution. If you wish to read this bill in full, it is available for download from the Oireachtas web site.

Some background to the Neighbourhood Noise Bill is available here. You can also find some audio links about the bill at the Green Party web site.

Speech delivered during an adjournment debate in the Dáil today by John Gormley, TD for Dublin South East:

I would like to thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to once again raise the ever increasing problem of graffiti in our city. You may recall, Ceann Comhairle, that at the beginning of the summer I raised this issue in the hope that the Government would take action to deal with the problem, but sadly very little has been done and the complaints from constituents about this problem continue.

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We have implemented a new style for the web site, which we hope will be easier to navigate. We will continue to tweak it over the coming weeks. If you notice any problems with the new site, please use the comment form to let us know about them.

We also have a new constituency page, which features a map of the constituency, marked with locations relevant to stories featured on the site.

76. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the impact the US mid-term election results will have on efforts to legalise Irish immigrants in the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39577/06] (more…)

Mr. Gormley: Does the Minister of State agree that Self Help is doing outstanding work in Uganda, Ethiopia and elsewhere?  I assume this is the reason that he initially accepted the organisation into the multiannual funding programme.  Will he explain why its funding has now been cut? (more…)

3. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in view of the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld, the Government will reconsider its decision to allow the US military to use Shannon Airport; his views on whether the war in Iraq has destabilised the country and been counterproductive and that the coalition forces should set a deadline for withdrawal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39807/06]

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35. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will comment on the proposal by the Polish President, Mr. Lech Kaczynski, for a 100,000 strong European Union army linked to NATO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38107/06]

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