Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I am happy to raise this issue with Deputy Pat Breen. The news that agreement on an open skies transatlantic deal is imminent and likely to be put in place in 2008 has sent shock waves through the mid-west. It is not that we did not know it was coming but that commitments on transitional arrangements for Shannon are so blatantly being thrown aside by the Government.

This is the biggest change in the history of Shannon Airport, which has known many changes over the years. Its consequences cannot simply be left to chance. I want to quote from the reply to my Adjournment matter of 8 November 2005 and to my written parliamentary question tabled on 27 June 2006. In November 2005, I was told: "I want to assure the Deputy that it has been the consistent policy of this Government that any change in transatlantic arrangements will be accompanied by an appropriate transitional arrangement to enable a smooth phasing in of open skies with the US in the future." Last June, the Minister, Deputy Cullen, stated:

In announcing the agreement reached with the US authorities last November, I indicated that I would prepare, in consultation with my colleagues, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, a tourism and economic development plan for Shannon and the West of Ireland. Preparation of this plan is at an advanced stage.

I was told that last June but, nine months later, the plan is nowhere to be seen and the lead-in time for open skies has been reduced to one year. How can the Government renege on promises that are vital to the continued prosperity of the mid-west and west?

I call on the Minister of State to ask his colleague to publish the tourism and economic development plan without further delay and to begin its implementation immediately. An estimated €44 million is required over a five-year period to sustain the marketing and tourism product and the 75 American companies, employing 29,000 people between Donegal and north Kerry, must be assured that they will continue to have regular flights, winter as well as summer, for their business needs.

I emphasise the reference to winter because there is a real concern there will be summer but not winter flights. Without it, the job losses in Limerick and potential job losses in Nenagh that are in the news today will be followed by many more. This is not idle speculation. It is based on what has happened in other countries where airlines have consolidated their business into and out of the capital city. In particular, we need an assurance that the national airline, Aer Lingus, will not renege on the commitment made two years ago by its CEO, Mr. Dermot Mannion, that it would maintain regular winter flights. There is real scepticism in the Shannon region about Aer Lingus's commitment to Shannon and we need to see a commitment to maintaining flights into and out of Shannon all year round when open skies becomes a reality.

The national development plan and Transport 21 are delivering huge infrastructural projects to the eastern part of the country but the western road and rail corridor has a much longer timeframe and there is no commitment to funding a rail link to Shannon, even though a feasibility study has now been completed. Road links to Dublin are given a far higher priority than links from a wider hinterland to Shannon. How can the airport compete unless a critical mass of the population can get to it easily? I refer to people in the west midlands who go to Dublin at the moment but who would, if the roads were decent, travel to Shannon.

While attaching no priority or urgency to Shannon, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, had no problem in finding €22 million for Waterford Regional Airport. That is significant and it is about time the Government party representatives for the mid-west stood up and insisted their region be looked after as well. The wide web of industry and tourism that has been built up on the strength of the access provided by Shannon Airport could fade away unless it is sustained and developed at this critical time. We want clear answers and commitments on these issues and we want Government Deputies and Senators who represent the people of the mid-west to wake up and fight for their constituents.

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