Mr. Patrick Edmond:

I will give the Deputy a concrete example. Regeneron, the US pharmaceutical company which recently established in Limerick its first non-US operation, has been explicit in stating that, to some extent, connectivity with Shannon Airport was fundamental to its decision. As my colleagues from the chambers of commerce will be able to tell the Deputy, the area in the arc from Mayo and Galway through Clare and Limerick is home to a large number of pharmaceutical, medical devices and ICT companies, many of which are US multinationals which make extensive use of transatlantic services.