Results 4,261-4,280 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: Aer Lingus——

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: Of course they will. Aer Lingus, and anybody who owns an involvement in Aer Lingus, will want to make sure the company is as viable commercially as it has always been and will be more commercially successful into the future. The Deputy makes an interesting point. The world has changed dramatically. Aer Lingus and the Heathrow slots had a much higher value when there were no other airport...

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: In recent meetings with the Aer Lingus trade unions on the future of the company, they raised a number of concerns of staff in respect of the planned IPO, including job security and pensions. I have mandated Aer Lingus management to engage with the trade unions to seek to address those concerns. Decisions on new routes are a commercial matter for the company. Late last year, I secured...

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: I will answer the Deputy's question when he has concluded.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: The pensions issue is being resolved. Proposals have been communicated to the company, the unions and the employee share ownership trust. The company's scheme is a private pension scheme operated by the trustees of the company, rather than a State pension scheme. Very effective solutions, involving a combination of increased staff, employer contributions and a possible upfront payment arising...

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: Aer Lingus operates direct flights from Shannon Airport to the US.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: Aer Lingus operates direct flights from Shannon Airport to the US every day.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: These flights go to the US.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy need not worry. I have the facts, which are very clear. The Deputy seems to suggest that a plane should fly out of Shannon Airport even if there is no one to get on it.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: As the Deputy knows, there are increased opportunities to many destinations in the United States. We only have access to five cities at present.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: We want to substantially increase the number of cities. There are 22 other destinations in America that are interested in having direct connections with Ireland, in light of which Shannon has considerable potential. It is the restriction of Shannon Airport that has affected it and Ireland in terms of our access to the United States of America. It is nonsense that we can only have direct...

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: I have strongly advised people in the Shannon region to focus on the future. The Deputy is correct in that there is a significant opportunity to go to America to look for new markets instead of having an argument with me about the past. The world has changed. An open skies agreement is the reality. Shannon Airport's objective should be to accommodate many airlines and not just Aer Lingus,...

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: In case there are any misunderstandings, Aer Lingus is very keen to use Shannon Airport. It is the largest carrier of passengers from Shannon to the United States.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: Deputy Breen might believe that he is making a point to me but he is talking to a wide audience. The people in Shannon Airport should stop sending out such a negative, depressing image about it.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy is damaging his region by continuing in this way.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: I was with the Deputy's colleagues in the United States less than a month ago.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy certainly has no interest in promoting Shannon Airport. He is here knocking his own region and it is very sad.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy should be a bit grown up and start saying positive things about his airport.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: One way or the other, that arrangement is crucial for Ireland in regard to open skies. The open skies agreement will be in place before the end of the year.

Air Services. (3 May 2006)

Martin Cullen: I was aware of the issues in Congress a week ago.