The Labour Party aims to set up a parliamentary inquiry to probe extraordinary rendition flights passing through Irish air space, it emerged tonight.
TD Joe Costello told a public meeting in Dublin that he will put a motion before the Dail on Tuesday next and seek time for a debate and a vote on it.
The inquiry will have powers to compel Government ministers and relevant witnesses from within the Republic to attend and give evidence. The Garda Commissioner and the US Ambassador are likely to be summoned to the hearings. Last week a European Parliament report said many CIA flights that flew through European air space passed through Ireland, and it called for a Dail inquiry.
Mr Costello said: "I believe that a Dail committee or subcommittee is capable of carrying out the inquiry recommended by the European Parliament and I believe we should move immediately to establish it."
Mr Costello's call was backed at tonight's meeting in Dublin by party MEP Proinsias De Rossa, Amnesty International and The Irish Council for Civil Liberties.
Critics of rendition flights believe they are transporting shackled terrorist suspects to secret interrogation camps in eastern Europe and north Africa.
If Mr Costello's motion is successful, it is likely that a sub-committee will be drawn up from members of both the current Foreign Affairs and European Affairs Committees. Findings and recommendations will then be presented to the Oireachtas to be approved and implemented.
Tanaiste Michael McDowell told Mr Costello in the Dail this morning that he didn't think there would be time before Easter for a debate on last week's European Parliament report.
The Government has insisted that it has received high-level assurances from US authorities that nothing untoward is occurring in Irish air space or at Shannon Airport.
Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern said tonight that any parliamentary inquiry was a matter for Dail parties but he noted that the Seanad voted not to establish such a probe on two occasions last year.
Mr De Rossa, who was a member of the European Parliament committee that investigated the issue, said: "Extraordinary rendition flights are serious violations of human rights and contrary to international law.
"The Irish Government has nothing to worry about if it has nothing to hide. "There are human victims in this process and their rights must be protected."
PA