Many questions over the state of Irish neutrality

AT the FF Árd Fheis in Killarney, Brian Cowen stated the advice of the Attorney General (AG) to successive Irish governments on the issue of granting facilities to US troops and flights at Shannon airport during the war against Iraq (in which an estimated 30,000 people were killed) was that “the provision of such facilities does not, in international law, constitute a participation by Ireland in a military action”.

Mr Cowen also insisted that Irish neutrality had not been called into question (Irish Examiner, October 13).

In the first case, it is not at all clear that the advice of the Attorney General was either clear or to the effect claimed by Mr Cowen.