IRAQ CRISIS: The Taoiseach is to agree to a Dáil discussion on the use of Shannon Airport by US military, as European opposition to an early war on Iraq mounts.
Mr Ahern is expected to write to the Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, before the weekend agreeing to his request. Fine Gael, the Green Party and Sinn Féin have also been calling for a Dáil debate.
A spokeswoman declined to say last night whether the Government would withdraw permission for US military use of Shannon, should they decide to attack Iraq without another UN resolution. She said this issue would be discussed in any Dáil debate.
Asked about the growing signals from France and Germany that they would not support a UN resolution authorising war on Iraq, the spokeswoman said the Government would not comment further until it responded to Mr Rabbitte.
The party whips will now discuss what format a Dáil discussion will take. The Government may want a formal reading of statements, rather than a full-scale debate. However, the Opposition is expected to press for an opportunity to question the Taoiseach or Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen.
The timing of the debate will depend on Mr Cowen's schedule, but is likely to take place within the next fortnight.
The Green Party chairman, Mr John Gormley, claimed yesterday the Government "doesn't even have the decency to inform the Dáil, let alone the Irish people, about what assistance it is currently giving to the Bush government's illegal preparations for war".
The Government has so far defended the use of Shannon on the grounds that US forces are travelling to the Gulf as part of a mission to ensure compliance with the UN resolution demanding Iraqi co-operation with arms inspections.
Mr Gormley called on the Government to tell the Irish people "exactly where it stands in relation to this war and peace issue. It appears that officials at Shannon Airport are now more 'in the know' about the Government's policy on Iraq than the elected representatives in the Dáil," he said.
"We are all learning more from spotting the planes on the Tarmac at Shannon than from spotting the Minister for Foreign Affairs revealing Irish policy in the Dáil."
Meanwhile, a delegation from the Oireachtas foreign affairs committee will arrive in Baghdad today to meet Iraq's ministers for health, resources and foreign affairs. The delegation consists of Labour foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Michael D. Higgins, Fianna Fáil Senator Michael Kitt and a number of officials.