Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity this evening to raise this matter along with my colleagues. It is widely anticipated that IAG will make a third offer for Aer Lingus later this week. Aer Lingus holds 23 landing slots at Heathrow, providing connectivity to our State through Shannon, Cork and Dublin Airports.

I am asking this evening that access to these vital slots be the Minister's key consideration in developing a Government approach to the potential sale of the State's shareholding in Aer Lingus. These slots provide access to central London and, more important, connectivity to the wider world through the global hub of Heathrow. Therefore, they are of strategic importance to our State and must be maintained and secured in any potential sale of Aer Lingus.

I was delighted to attend yesterday at the announcement of the creation of 100 new jobs in Shannon by AMAX, a US ICT company. One of the major attractions of AMAX to the mid-west region was ease of access from America to Europe and the remainder of the world through Shannon Airport. It is clear that any change in our access through Heathrow slots will cause serious damage to our attractiveness and will have serious implications for foreign direct investment, regional economic development, business tourism and tourism generally. Shannon Airport experienced 17% growth in 2014. Since being granted its independence by this Government and following changes to its managerial structure, it has gone from strength to strength. Shannon is the driver of economic activity in the mid-west region and it has a direct positive impact on the whole of the western seaboard. Therefore, it is vital that the Government ensure retention of the landing slots into Heathrow.

I ask the Minister to ensure that any deal reached in relation to the sale of Aer Lingus be accompanied by legal guarantees, ensuring that the slots at Heathrow are maintained for use by Shannon, Cork and Dublin Airports in the interests of the economic and social future of our State.

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