Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

Yes. The UK is in the chair; it holds the EU Presidency. In fact, I think I am going to the UK to meet the British transport minister next week. I have already had a number of meetings with him at Council level and I have met the European Commissioner on a number of occasions. My officials have gone to the US. Meetings were again held this week. The US is no doubt about Ireland's position. However, the US is not in the mood for messing about. It wants an open skies deal with Europe and is not interested in side bar deals. We will have to work very hard to get a transition deal on Shannon but we have kept communications with the US open and it knows the Government's position in this regard. We want to give Shannon opportunities but the real challenge for Shannon will be Cork Airport. Cork is not prohibited from opening up a range of new transatlantic routes.

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