Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

Will the Minister acknowledge that a document existed within his Department on 13 June that was marked for the attention of the Minister and that indicated specifically this concern? Can the Minister comment on, or explain, how the document did not reach him? This is the crux of the matter.

Does the Minister seriously expect Members to believe that during the one and a half months in question, no one informed him, the Government, the Taoiseach or the Minister for Defence, Deputy Willie O'Dea? This is despite the fact that the issue had been brought to the attention of his officials, who considered it sufficiently serious to warrant contacting the chief executive of Aer Lingus. Does the Minister seriously expect Members or the people to believe this to be the case? I find it to be incredible.

Will the Minister hold an independent investigation into this matter rather than an internal departmental investigation? Clearly, both departmental officials and the Minister are directly implicated in this business. It is essential to have an independent investigation into this matter.

Given the issue regarding corporate governance raised earlier today by my colleague, Deputy Broughan, in Priority Question No. 2, will the Minister ask his two board members to raise as a matter of urgency at board level the need to re-investigate the entire issue pertaining to the withdrawal of the Shannon to Heathrow slots? The company's corporate governance documents state that the board is responsible for overall group strategy, including new activities and withdrawal from existing activities.

The Minister should respond to these four direct, clear questions. The people of the mid-west are horrified that this information was available, the decision could have been pre-empted and an alternative decision could have been agreed with the Government, had the Minister and his Department done their jobs. I agree with my colleague, Deputy Broughan. The buck stops with the Minister and he should consider seriously his position as Minister for Transport.

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