Colin Sheridan: Government ignorance of Israel-bound weapons flights is inexcusable

The government has repeatedly denied Irish airspace has been used for this very purpose. Now, it appears it repeatedly has.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said earlier this week that no permissions were sought for the overflights

Oh Neutrality, you fickle mistress. Did you ever look skyward and wonder, where is that airplane off to?

Does your child follow the contrails with her innocent eyes, pure white against the bright blue beyond, and ask you "where do you think it’s going, Dad?” Do you look her in the eye, dead serious, and say: “It’s bound for Tel Aviv, pet, where it will deliver sniper ammunition and ESADs – missile safety and arming devices – to a company called Orion Advanced Systems. They will supply them to the Israeli Defence Forces, who will in turn use those devices to kill Palestinian children, just like you.” I doubt you do, for a couple of reasons, the main one being, up until last week, you were just as unaware of it as the Irish government claims to be.