The withdrawal of Shannon Airport landing rights from the United States would be "a hostile act", the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has said, defending a Cabinet decision to allow the US military to continue using the airport, writes Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent
In a two-hour meeting, ministers agreed a motion wording from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, which will be vigorously opposed by the Opposition today in a Dáil debate.
The motion "recalls the longstanding arrangements" covering Shannon and US military overflights, and "supports" the Government's decision to continue those arrangements.
Fine Gael TD Mr Gay Mitchell said the motion failed to face up to the damage done to the United Nations by the US and United Kingdom's decision to go to war without UN sanction.
"If our support for the UN, both historically and in recent months, is to mean anything, the Dáil has to be prepared to say that it opposes and cannot participate in or support (this)," said Mr Mitchell.
Government sources said there had been no disagreement on the issue and all Government backbenchers are expected to support it.
The motion does not contain any note of criticism of the United States and the United Kingdom for acting without UN approval. Instead, it "regrets that the coalition finds it necessary" to go to war "notwithstanding" its claims to be acting under existing Security Council mandate. It condemns the Iraqis "continued refusal" to comply with UN orders and notes that Iraq was found to have been "in material breach of its obligations".