Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine if he will intervene to have the Aer Lingus decision to exit from the Shannon to Heathrow route reversed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20447/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The re-deployment of Heathrow slots by Aer Lingus and the withdrawal of the Shannon-Heathrow service with effect from January 2008 was a commercial decision made by the executive management team in the Company. I understand the decision was taken on foot of a mandate from the Board of the Company to examine and develop commercial opportunities, in accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company.

There is legal advice to the effect that, having regard to the duties of the Board of Directors pursuant to the Companies Acts and the Memorandum and Articles Of Association of Aer Lingus, shareholders do not have the power to overrule management decisions on business matters.

As a result of this advice the Government believes it would be inappropriate to intervene in the decision-making of a private company. To do so would ultimately be damaging both to the Company and its customers. The Government will continue to assist and support efforts to restore connectivity between Shannon and London Heathrow.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 497: To ask the Minister for Transport and the Marine if funding will be made available to the mid-west region following the introduction of Open Skies; if so, when it will be made available; the person who will have responsibility for the management of the fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20448/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently finalising an Economic and Tourism Development Plan for the Shannon Airport catchment area. The Plan has been prepared in consultation with the Department of Finance, the Department of Arts, Sport & Tourism, the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The purpose of the plan is to ensure that the region is well placed to respond to the challenges and opportunities emerging in the context of full liberalisation of the transatlantic aviation market and the phasing out of the Shannon Stop as envisaged under the EU-US Open Skies Agreement. I hope to bring the Plan to conclusion shortly.