Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)

I compliment the Minister on this section because the shared services section in Aer Rianta employs many staff in the Shannon area and it is important that it be handled carefully. I would be concerned if there was any effort to transfer people from Shannon to Dublin. I know many of the staff members who live in the region and have mortgages and families there. We need flexibility and I am delighted to see that the decision will be taken in consultation with the unions and the worker-directors and the people concerned for the best interests of the staff. I welcome the provision for the Minister to set criteria because broad criteria may be needed, to include more than simply the business elements. Flexible criteria are required to accommodate people living in the area who have mortgages and young families. It would be inconsiderate to transfer them from Shannon to Cork or Dublin.