Independent TDs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace have said they will fully contest charges of illegally entering restricted areas at Shannon Airport.

Speaking to Clare FM outside the courthouse in Ennis earlier today, Deputy Clare Daly outlined why the pair will be defending their actions:

“We believe that we have a responsibility as legislators and as citizens to uphold our neutrality. We’ve tried every attempt inside the Dáil to highlight what’s gone on,” she said.

Charges against both deputies arising from their anti-war demonstration at Shannon in July have been adjourned until the new year. Judge Patrick Durcan has been asked to set aside a day for hearing their cases.

Deputies Wallace and Daly face charges of entering an unauthorised area at Shannon and scaling the airport perimeter fence on July 23rd.

Ms Daly said they believe “there is very definitive evidence” that Shannon airport “is being used to facilitate the US war machine, and we don’t believe that that’s something in the interest of Irish people or people in general.”

“We will be rigorously defend this because, while we were at Shannon, we don’t believe that we did anything wrong, we actually believe that we were doing what we should be doing.”

A date to hear their cases will be set in January.