TDs demand postponement of airports legislation

Fianna Fáil TDs were told last night that the Cabinet will examine their demand that legislation on the break-up of Aer Rianta be postponed until the autumn. Arthur Beesley, Political Reporter, reports.

The promise to re-examine the timing of the legislation was made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, at a meeting of the parliamentary party.

The commitment raises the prospect of a further delay in the initiative, which has been championed by the Minister for Transort, Mr Brennan, and the Tánaiste, Ms Harney.

Sources close to Mr Brennan insisted last night the Government remained committed to passing the break-up legislation before the summer recess.

They also suggested that any postponement of the legislation would mean backtracking on a decision already taken by the Cabinet.

However, separate political sources said last night there was now an expectation among TDs that the legislation would be postponed.

Such a move could also fracture relations between Fianna Fáil and the PDs, which are already under strain after the Coalition's poor performance in the local and European elections.

The commitment to look again at the timing of the legislation followed a demand for postponement by the Fianna Fáil transport policy group.

The concerns were raised despite Mr Brennan's concession to unions earlier this month when he agreed at pay talks to a two-stage break-up model.

He also agreed that the final break-up would not proceed until the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, signed off on business plans produced by the three new airport authorities at Dublin, Cork and Shannon.

The transport group, which met yesterday, heard repeated criticism of the Government's efforts to rush the legislation through the Oireachtas before the summer recess.

With the second stage Dáil debate on the Bill due to finish last night, some members of the group said the Bill should be stalled at committee stage during the summer recess.

While Cork TDs were supportive of the break-up plan, sources said that Dublin TDs and those based near Shannon expressed reservations about the pace of the initiative.

It emerged yesterday that a Dublin backbencher, Mr John Curran, had made complaints about the legislation last week to the Government Chief Whip, Ms Mary Hanafin.

Mr Curran said last night the parliamentary party should have been given an opportunity to discuss the Bill before it went to the Oireachtas.

"The main issue is that the Bill is dependent on the business plan being approved by two Ministers. I feel that the business plan should have accompanied the Bill so that we knew precisely how to move forward."

The Dublin north-west TD, Mr Pat Carey, said: "I questioned the wisdom of the approach being taken at the transport committee and I reiterated this at the parliamentary party.

"A lot of members who spoke would have expressed misgivings about the speed and manner in which the legislation was being progressed."