Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The devastating news was announced to the Aer Lingus employees on 7 August last. Eighteen of them work in the cargo facility in Shannon. Despite what the Aer Lingus hierarchy will say, namely that cargo volumes in Shannon have been on a downward trajectory for some time, the reality is quite the opposite. There was growth of 23% between 2018 and 2023 and the facility handled 16,752 tonnes of cargo last year. It is a very important facility. It is strategically important as it is not just a matter of the 18 jobs. The announcement is devastating for the workers and their families but the matter goes beyond that in that there is a whole supply chain based around Shannon, the largest FDI region outside Dublin. Some 40% of all the factories and companies in the region are US based. The include Boston Scientific, which is just up the road in Galway. That company ships out many tonnes of high-value pallets from the cargo facility each day. I do not know whether enough has been done to help the workers. Aer Lingus has cast them aside. I fully understand it is no longer a State airline. Senator Martin Conway said on Clare FM on 12 August that the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, would be meeting the workers. Has he met them? What interventions has the Department made?

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