Two Irish Independent government ministers joined protesters at Shannon Airport yesterday for a monthly rally opposing the continuing use of the mid-west aerodrome by the US military.

According to the Irish Independent ministers Clare Daly and Mick Wallace jointly called for government action in line with international law and Irish neutrality.

Daly said: 'The program agreed by the present Irish government says that they will enforce a prohibition on the use of Irish airspace, airports and related facilities for purposes not in line with the dictates of international law.

'Yet the routine movement of military planes through Shannon without any obvious oversight or inspection shows that they have little intention of doing so.'

John Lannon, spokesman for the group Shannonwatch who organized the protest, added: 'Last week the Irish Government signed up to the new global Arms Trade Treaty. But their failure to inspect what is passing through our own territory – and airspace – on its way to war zones means that they are supporting the global arms industry.'