SIPTU clears up terminal 'confusion'

SIPTU, the State's largest trade union, has sought to clear up any "confusion" over its policy in relation to a possible new terminal at Dublin Airport.

The union said its "preferred"option was for any new terminal to be built by the Dublin Airport Authority, a State-owned company. The union said only if this option was not available, it would support a proposal by businessmen Ulick and Desmond Mucified.

The union issued a statement explaining its position yesterday. This followed suggestions on Thursday that its leadership held a different view from the local SIPTU branch at the airport.

The issue of a terminal has come back onto the political agenda in recent days with the news that the Minister for Transport, Mr Martin Cullen, is hoping to bring a fresh proposal for a new terminal facility to Cabinet shortly. While the Department of Transport has refused to comment, sources suggest that a site on the northern end of the airport will be chosen for the new terminal.

This would come as a blow to the McEvaddy brothers who are hoping their land at the other end of the airport would be used. Discussions on which sites might be suitable have taken place between the Department and the Dublin Airport Authority in recent weeks.

In a joint statement SIPTU's president Mr Jack O'Connor and the civil aviation branch secretary, Mr Dermot O'Loughlin restated the union's "preferred" option of a second terminal built by the Dublin Airport Authority, rather than a private consortium.

A statement read: "The civil aviation branch of SIPTU has been in discussions with the McEvaddy led consortium over the possibility of a substantial employee shareholding in their proposal. However, this does not affect the union's well known policy of retaining control of such an important part of Ireland's economic infrastructure within public ownership".

The union said it strongly favoured a second terminal, but it should be part of "national aviation infrastructure".

It also said the second terminal should not result in the diminution "of security and quality of employment at the airport".

It also said suggestions of a split between union members were incorrect. "We reject any suggestion of a difference between the union's national executive council position and the civil aviation branch on this matter."