Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I join Deputy Kenny and, I am sure, everybody in the House in conveying deepest sympathies to the family of Manuela Riedo. It was a callous murder of a girl who had only recently arrived in Ireland. The Garda Síochána has launched a major murder investigation and whatever resources are necessary to apprehend the killer will be made available.

The decision at the beginning of August, on which the Government has made several statements outlining its position, to withdraw the Shannon-Heathrow service from January 2008 was a commercial decision on the part of Aer Lingus and the company has reiterated that it will not change that decision. The Government is conscious that this will create difficulties for the region and several members have met all the relevant organisations from Shannon.

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