Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Transport when he will publish the marketing and infrastructural support plans for the Shannon region in the context of Open Skies. [12653/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I announced my intention to prepare an Economic and Tourism Development Plan for Shannon Airport in the context of the EU-US negotiations on Open Skies when negotiators initially signed off on the text of a draft EU-US agreement in November 2005. That draft agreement provided for a transitional arrangements for Ireland, relating to the phasing out of the 'Shannon Stop'.

In preparing the Plan, my Department has consulted with the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment and the Department of Finance. A liaison group, established by the Mid West Regional Authority, has separately prepared a report on the future development of the Shannon region as an input to the Plan.

Following the endorsement of the EU-US Air Transport Agreement by the Council of Transport Ministers on 22 March I expect to be in a position to finalise the Tourism and Economic Development Plan for Shannon shortly.