Ireland examining report that US deportees flight stopped at Shannon Airport

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Ireland is examining a report that a flight carrying deportees from the US to Africa, against a judge’s order, stopped at an Irish airport.

The New York Times reported that a plane carrying eight deportees, in violation of a court order by a federal judge in Boston, stopped at Shannon Airport in Co Clare this week.

The judge had barred the US administration from deporting people to countries that were not their own without giving them enough time to object.

The article said that the flight landed at Shannon at around 9.39pm US time on Tuesday and departed at about 11.47pm before going on to Djibouti.

“I’m trying to establish the facts on this now in real time, because I’m aware of the US media reports,” Tánaiste Simon Harris told RTÉ Radio.

“We’ve been very active, from an Irish embassy point of view, in providing consular support to citizens who have been caught up in these stronger, for want of a diplomatic phrase, stronger enforcement policies around migration.

“I have no reason to believe that the procedures in place for the use of Irish airports by foreign aircraft has been breached by the United States, but I am seeking more information from my department this morning on this matter.”

Asked if Ireland was complicit in illegal US deportations, he said: “I want to get legal clarity in relation to this before speaking with great certainty, because of the seriousness of the matter.

“But I think complying with US law is obviously a matter for the US administration. Complying with our own laws is obviously a matter for the Irish state and the Irish government.

“So let me try and establish more in relation to this, as my department is.

“There are very clear rules in relation to flights that can and can’t stop over in Shannon and what they must do and not do, and we need to see whether this was in compliance with that.

“This is a story that’s only emerged in US media, so I’m trying to get on top of it now.”

US flights stopping off at Shannon Airport to refuel have long been an issue of contention in Ireland, as politicians and activists raise concerns that it makes Ireland complicit in US military actions.

Protests have been held at the airport over the Iraq War, Western intervention in Syria, and more recently over US support for Israel during its military operation in Gaza.

In recent months, there have been reports that flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have travelled through Irish airspace.

Permission is needed from the Irish transport minister to carry munitions over Ireland.

Mr Harris has said he does not believe that weapons are being flown through Irish airspace to Israel, but he said more international co-operation was needed to find out what is being flown above Ireland.