Minister challenged on Shannon and neutrality

IN his attempt to justify the decision to grant the use of Shannon airport to US troops for their illegal Iraq war, Justice Minister Michael McDowell suggested on RTE’s Questions & Answers (Oct 11) that this was not in breach of our neutrality.

He said that this was because we had always allowed US troops to use Shannon, including during the Kosovo and Vietnam wars.

His statement on the Vietnam War is incorrect on two counts. First, for US troops to go to Vietnam via Ireland is like someone going from Limerick to Wexford via Belfast. Secondly, in the High Court constitutional case, Horgan v Ireland, et al, in April 2003, I received documents through legal discovery clearly showing that neither Shannon airport nor Irish airspace was used by US forces for the Vietnam War.