Shannon dominates Cabinet agenda

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey insisted today the Government would do all it could to assist the Shannon Airport Authority in finding another airline to operate the Shannon-Heathrow route following the decision by Aer Lingus to scrap its service.

Mr Dempsey admitted the issue dominated discussions at today's Cabinet meeting, the first since the Dáil rose for the summer recess.

But he said while the Government recognised the decision by Aer Lingus would have "some impact", it was important not to over-emphasise the effect on Shannon Airport and the region as a whole.

Mr Dempsey briefed his Cabinet colleagues on the findings of a report by senior officials into the impact of the decision by Aer Lingus to withdraw from the route.

Speaking after the meeting, Minister Dempsey said: "The importance of continued connectivity from the Mid-West to as many international destinations as possible is recognised by Government."

The Government, he said, would pursue all means possible to maintain that connectivity.

Up to 30 protesters, including TDs and councillors from the Mid-West, picketed Government Buildings as ministers arrived for today's meeting.

Fine Gael TD Joe Carey repeated demands for the Dail to be recalled early to discuss the impact of the Aer Lingus decision on business and tourism interests in the Mid-West.

Mr Carey said: "Only a few ministers drove past us in their cars, the rest must have got in some other way. "We want to continue to pressurise the Government to force Aer Lingus to reverse its decision to take the Heathrow service out of Shannon and have sought meetings with the Taoiseach and Mr Dempsey."

Labour TD for Limerick East Jan O'Sullivan said: "There is no clear reason why the Govt continues to hold on to a 25.4 per cent stake in Aer Lingus if they can't use this leverage to act in the national interests by protecting the Shannon Heathrow service."

The protest group also included the mayors of Clare and Limerick and councillors from several political parties including Fianna Fail.

The newly-formed Atlantic Connectivity Alliance also sent a factfile to each minister detailing the implications to business and tourism.

In a statement issued by the Department of Transport following today's Cabinet meeting, the Government reiterated its "deep disappointment" at this decision taken by Aer Lingus to discontinue its service which it said was contrary to national aviation and regional development policy.

But it also noted that this was a decision taken by the executive and management of Aer Lingus on commercial grounds.

The Government is under pressure to use its 25 per cent stake in the airline to back calls for an extraordinary general meeting (egm) of shareholders.

Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea has already joined Mid-West political, business and tourism representatives to demand that Aer Lingus reverse its decision to move operations from Shannon to Belfast.

Ryanair, which now owns 29.4 per cent of Aer Lingus, has also demanded an egm. Aer Lingus is expected to announce within days its response to calls for the meeting. The matter was considered yesterday by the Aer Lingus board but a decision was not made. The company did not issue any statement after the meeting.

The Shannon Airport Authority yesterday denied it was close to a deal with British airline bmi to open up services to Heathrow.