John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Daly for his kind words and assure him that I will fight the cause of the snapmen and fishermen in the southeast in my remaining years in the Department. I also thank him for raising the issue. I know, as a long-standing friend of Senator Daly, that he has a great commitment to Shannon Airport, as have many Deputies in that region. I am glad to see that since he moved to this House he continues to fly the flag for the Shannon region and I will pass on to the Minister for Transport some of the points that he has raised.

The requirement for transatlantic air services to land at Shannon has been a cornerstone of regional policy for successive Governments over many years. It is important for the Minister to say that this judgment has no immediate impact for Ireland or for the existing bilateral air service agreement between Ireland and the USA. Ireland's bilateral agreement was not challenged in the court and the judgment does not deal with any issue connected with the present Shannon policy.