The Cabinet has approved the amending legislation required for the break-up of Aer Rianta and its replacement by three independent airport authorities.
The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, said the State Airports Bill would be enacted by the end of the year and he was confident that the airport authorities would be established on a statutory basis before June 2004.
Under the plan Dublin Airport would assume some €100 million in debt from Shannon and Cork, and the three airports would be allowed to compete with each other.
Currently, up to 80,000 passengers use Dublin Airport daily in peak season, while a further 9,000 use Shannon and 8,000 use Cork.
Mr Brennan said that under independent management the future of the three airports was better for choice and development.
He rejected suggestions that the lack of a business plan for Shannon meant that the break-up was proceeding too quickly. "There is a business plan for Shannon and Cork under the present Aer Rianta structure. And as soon as the new boards formally take office they will take a look at that business plan and they will adjust it for the new circumstances and go after new business and open up new routes."
In a statement this morning Mr Brennan revealed the full membership of the board, which will be chaired by Mr Patric Shanahan, who is also the chief executive of the Atlantic Technology Corridor.
He will be joined on the board by Mr Patrick Blaney, an international aviation expert; Ms Rose Hynes, an aviation lawyer and consultant; Mr Tadgh Kearney, chairman of the Air Transport Users' Council; Mr Michael B. Lynch, group managing director of Lynch Hotel Group; Mr Padraic Burke, corporate financial control expert; Mr Reg Freake, a senior executive of Dell Group; and Ms Olivia Loughnane, communications, research & development director of Shannon Development Company.
The four remaining seats will be filled by worker-directors nominated by the trade unions.
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