Government enabling Trump’s deportation orders, Bacik says

Labour leader Ivana Bacik has called on the government to clarify the usage of Shannon Airport for delivery of American arms into Israel and now, the usage of Shannon Airport as part of Donald Trump’s deportation orders.

An article from The New York Times highlighted how Shannon Airport was used on Tuesday as a stopover to deport immigrants to South Sudan, an order which was found to be in violation of a court order.

Bacik said the usage of Shannon Airport as part of Trump’s crackdown on immigration is “unconscionable.”

“To date, the Government has shown an astounding lack of curiosity on the matter,” she said.

Bacik accused Tánaiste Simon Harris of being “technical” on the question and refusing to go into specifics about whether this would mark  a change in the government’s relationship with the United States and the usage of Shannon Airport.

“This development follows growing concerns about the use of Shannon Airport for military purposes, including the refuelling of planes suspected of transporting weapons to Israel for use against the people of Gaza,” she said.

“In recent years, there has been a barrage of revelations about what is passing through our airspace. Yet the Tánaiste and the Government continue to turn a blind eye. Do we know if armed guards are on board the deportation flight due to land here today? What exactly is happening at Shannon? Why are we allowing US planes tied to illegal deportations and illegal wars to refuel on Irish soil?”

Bacik called for transparency and accountability on the issue.

“We were told last November that a new aircraft inspection regime was planned to ensure weapons of war were not being illegally transported through Ireland. The former Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, briefed the Cabinet on that last November. But the Tánaiste failed today to confirm whether any safeguards exist to prevent Ireland being complicit in illegal international activity.”

“The Department of Transport is reportedly still examining the legislation. Meanwhile, we know that nine commercial flights to Israel carrying weapons of war flew through Irish airspace. Today’s news that people have been illegally renditioned via Ireland only serves to highlight that action is needed.

“It’s simply not good enough. We must be serious about our foreign policy. Ireland has always stood for peace, for justice, and for upholding the rules of international law. So long as this continues, those values are being undermined — quietly, and without explanation — from the tarmac of Shannon Airport.”