Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I raise this matter because time is running short in the context of saving the Shannon-Heathrow slots. We were recently informed that the slots could be retained by means of a public service obligation under EU regulations. I call on the Government to apply for the retention of the route under that obligation.

The new information regarding the slots emerged following meetings held in Brussels between the Shannon Action Group and EU officials at which it was indicated that the Shannon case could well fall within the definition of a public service obligation. The latter would normally be associated with the provision of services such as electricity, water supplies, etc., to people living in remote areas. What is less well known is that a public service obligation can also be applied where an area can demonstrate that connectivity is an economic necessity for a region and that its loss will significantly disadvantage that region. There is no doubt that the loss of the Shannon-Heathrow connectivity would put the mid-west and the west at that level of loss and disadvantage. This has been well demonstrated by the detailed facts and figures supplied by members of the Atlantic Connectivity Alliance and the Shannon Action Group. There is no doubt that jobs and investment have already been lost and that further jobs are under threat.

An application to retain the route must be made by the Government to the EU Commission and I call on it to make that application to protect the sustainability of the region.

The Government has already stated that the decision by Aer Lingus contravenes its policy on regional development. It was reluctant to interfere with that decision up to now because it interpreted company law as saying that it could not do so. We interpreted its actions as meaning that it did not want to interfere. The grounds for seeking a change are now very different and are based on its obligations and rights as a Government rather than as a shareholder of the company. The Government should apply quickly to the EU Commission to save and protect jobs in the mid-west and west before it is too late.

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