Taoiseach defends Shannon use

The Taoiseach has defended the Government's view that the US military should continue to be able to use Shannon Airport.

Speaking on RTÉ's Six One News, Mr Ahern said that he was not prepared to withdraw access to the airport which had existed since 1955.

That, he said, would be a hostile act.

There was clear legal support for the view that providing landing and ancillary facilities does not mean actively engaging or participating in a war.

The Taoiseach also denied that there had been any pressure applied by President Bush on the Shannon issue.

The reason Ireland is not participating in the war, he added, was that there was no second resolution from the UN and he was adamant that Ireland is not involved in the conflict.

Earlier, the Cabinet agreed the wording of a motion to put before the Dáil tomorrow.

The Dáil will vote on a motion supporting the decision of the Government to maintain the 'the longstanding arrangements for the overflight and landing in Ireland of US military and civilian aircraft'.

The lengthy motion also condemns the refusal of the Iraqi Government to disarm, regrets that the Security Council fail to reach agreement, regrets that the coalition finds it necessary to launch its campaign, and expresses its hope that military action - should it occur - will be of short duration and loss of life and destruction will be kept to a minimum.

This is likely to lead to a united Opposition response in tomorrow's six hour debate, as all the parties outside the Government oppose the continued provision of landing, refueling and overflight rights to US military flights.

There are also a number of Government backbenchers, in both Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, who are uneasy about the continued use of Shannon, but so far there are no indications that any of them will feel unable to support the Government motion.

Fine Gael's front bench was to meet this afternoon to consider its options.

However, some of the party's deputies have said they would have difficulty supporting a motion denying the US the use of Shannon.

Trócaire's Chairman, Bishop John Kirby called for a free vote in the Dáil debate and urged TDs to follow their conscience as he issued a strong statement condemning the war.

In a five page statement, the Bishop said that the Dail debate 'must reflect the moral and humanitarian principles which apply to the conducting of just war.'

Labour Party spokesman Michael D Higgins said that the motion agreed by the Cabinet today represents a 'shameful abandonment by the Fianna Fáil/PD government not just of Irish neutrality but of any commitment to the principles of international law'

Minister's assurance over oil stocks

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Dermot Ahern, has said that Ireland has well in excess of the recommended emergency stocks of oil.

According to Dermot Ahern, Ireland has 111 days supply, compared to the International Energy Agency's recommendation of a minimum of 90 days.

This supply is estimated to be enough to last for three years if international supplies are interrupted. Only once, during the Suez Crisis, has the world supply of oil been reduced by more than 10%.

Minister Ahern was briefing Cabinet colleagues this afternoon in relation to emergency supplies and on the powers available to him in the event of a major oil crisis in the coming weeks.