The Irish Times recently reported that there has been a 56 per cent increase in US military overflights through Irish airspace since the US started its attacks on Iran.
The overflights data excludes the US military’s use of Shannon airport, but this morning, the Irish Times has reported that the number of US troops passing though Shannon increased by 80 per cent during March, after the US began its attacks on Iran. This data counts only the troops that disembark at Shannon and is therefore likely to be an underestimate of the total number of US troops passing through the airport.
People Before Profit Dublin Central by-election candidate Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin said the recent reports prove Government complicity in the US war on Iran. He said the by-election is an opportunity for people to send a message to the Government to stop the lying, end the complicity in genocide and war, and hands off the Triple Lock.
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin said:
“Six weeks after Micheál had the gall to claim there is ‘no strong evidence’ that Irish airspace is being used by the US to arm Israel and attack Iran, the evidence continues to pile up around him.
“It’s almost a year since Paul Murphy handed a folder of documents to Simon Harris on the floor of the Dáil. That folder contained proof from the airlines involved of thousands of tonnes of weaponry going through Irish airspace on the way to be used by Israel for its Genocide in Gaza.
“A few days ago, revised figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs showed that US military overflights increased from 32 in February to 50 in March, when the US began its war on Iran. The March numbers are the highest monthly figures since last summer and show a 56 per cent increase in US military overflights since the US started its attacks on Iran.
“Now we have learned, through a parliamentary question by Paul Murphy, that there has been an 80 per cent increase in US troops passing through Shannon in March, after the US began its war on Iran. It should be noted that the data on US troops in Shannon is likely to be an understatement as the data only includes troops who disembark from the planes. Many more pass-through Shannon airport without disembarking.
“Yesterday at the Oireachtas Business Committee, Richard Boyd Barrett again demanded that the Government schedule Dáil time for debate on US military use of Irish airspace and Shannon airport, but the Government has still not agreed to this.
“The evidence is overwhelming, but Micheál Martin pretends not to see it because the Government is supporting US imperialism and it intends to continue to support the US and its wars. This can't be described as anything other than complicity.
“The Government lies about what is going on at Shannon and in our skies and it believes that it can con the people into ending the Triple Lock. But the by-elections provide an important opportunity for people to send a message to the Government - stop the lying, end the complicity in genocide and war, and hands-off the Triple Lock.”