Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern has reacted angrily to a European Parliament committee report which claims that Irish airports have been used by the CIA as part of their extraordinary rendition process.
Last night, he was said to be "livid" and "fuming" about the early release of the report which was due to be published tomorrow.
A protest sign outside Shannon Airport
Meanwhille, the Tanaiste Michael McDowell today told the Dail that there was no "smoking gun" in regard to CIA rendition flights in Ireland
The draft EU report expresses "serious concern" at the 147 stop-overs by CIA operated aircraft at Irish airports, many of which were coming from or directed to countries linked with extraordinary rendition.
The report says aircraft that stopped off in Ireland were involved in the rendition of several terror supects, although, there is no evidence in the report to suggest they were ever transported through Irish airports .
Speaking on radio today, Mr ahern said: "They have issued a report two days before[it was due to be published], it is absolutely ludicrous. You would think they would listen to us before they criticise us".
He said one of the flights was actually destined for Knock Airport and was more "extraordinary apparition rather than extraordinary rendition."
However, Labour MEP Prionnais De Rossa, who was a member of the Committee, said the Government had no evidence of rendition flights because no flights have ever been inspected in Ireland.
He accused the Minister Ahern of expressing false anger and a false arguement.
"As regards his attempt to trivialise the issue by misrepresenting the landing of one CIA flight at Knock, the facts are as follows: Knock is one of four Irish airports at which CIA rendition flights have landed. In addition to the single landing at Knock, there was one landing at Cork, seven landings at Dublin (including Baldonnel), and, some 138 landings at Shannon," said Mr De Rossa.
He also rejected US assurances to Mr Ahern that there were no rendition flights using Irish airports as "not worth the paper they are written on".
"There is no legal applicability for a diplomatic assurances and they are not worth the paper they are written on, even if they are written on paper."
He added that a verbal assurance was not legally enforceable.
Today, in the Dail, the Tanaiste and Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said: "I would remind the House that the president of the Human Rights Commission, Dr Maurice Manning, has said that there was no smoking gun. I would ask some of the members of the House to pay some attention to what he says instead of misquoting him and attempting to suggest that Ireland has been used for rendition flights. It has not."
Following this morning's Dail session, Labour's Forign Affairs spokesperson said he was "dismayed and angered that my request for an emergency discussion on the use of Shannon Airport by the CIA for the transfer of prisoners for extraordinary rendition, was declined by the Ceann Comhairle, Dr Rory O'Hanlon as 'lacking urgency'".