The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, has said that he accepts 'categoric assurances' from the US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, that Shannon Airport has not been used for 'anything untoward' in relation to CIA rendition flights.
The minister was speaking after a meeting with Condoleezza Rice in Washington this afternoon. The meeting was not open to media questions.
The US Secretary of State travels to Europe next week and is expected to respond to concerns raised about reports that the CIA secretly used European airports and detention centres to transport and interrogate prisoners.
A report in today's New York Times, quoting aviation industry sources and human rights groups, says that some 33 CIA flights have gone through Shannon over the past four years.
The meeting between Dermot Ahern and Condoleeza Rice is understood to have involved a 'frank exchange' on the issue of Shannon, according to officials present.
US military plane makes emergency landing
The US Embassy has confirmed that a US military aircraft, which made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport this morning, was carrying helium gas bound for Iraq.
The C-17 transport plane had to divert to Shannon airport when it developed hydraulic and brake problems.
The gas is contained in 58 cylinders onboard the plane and is used to float radar balloons for the military.
A spokesperson for the US embassy stated the cargo and flight were not in contravention of any UN resolutions.
Local lifeboat units were on alert on Shannon estuary ahead of the landing as a precautionary measure.
