Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for Transport the measures he proposes to introduce to ensure the maintenance of Aer Lingus's Cork-Heathrow and Dublin-Heathrow airport slots and the protection of critical air connectivity for both of these airports and regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24253/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Arrangements to safeguard Heathrow slots are built into the Company's Memorandum and Articles of Association. The effect of these arrangements, at present, is that any disposal of Heathrow slots can be prevented by 30.4% of the votes cast at an Extraordinary General Meeting. 25.4% of the shares in the Company are held by the Minister for Finance on behalf of the State.

Also, under the memorandum and articles of association, the State is entitled to appoint three directors to the board of Aer Lingus. Currently, there is one State appointed director serving on the board and it is now proposed that two further appointments be made. I envisage that the State appointees, will be mandated to seek to ensure that future decisions of the company that have significant implications for wider Government aviation or regional development policies are considered at board level. This will give the State appointees the opportunity to raise the public policy implications of decisions and to ensure that the full commercial implications for the company are taken into account. All directors, including the State appointees, will of course be bound by their fiduciary responsibilities under the Companies Acts.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Transport the role the Government is playing in attracting new airlines to establish routes into this country in the context of open skies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24346/07]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Transport if he is satisfied that the national airports have made all the necessary efforts to attract users from new airport destinations in the US in the context of open skies; if his attention has been drawn to the intense competition from the airports of other European countries to make such arrangements for their countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24347/07]

Tom Sheahan (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Transport the action the Government has taken to attract airlines to Shannon Airport in response to future pull outs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24391/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 81, 89 and 107 together.

The State airports at Dublin, Shannon and Cork are owned and managed by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) who operate them to a commercial mandate. The company has statutory responsibility for all day-to-day matters at these airports, including their marketing for new routes and new airlines.

Under its commercial mandate DAA has the key role in developing the airports and thereby promoting the provision of as wide a range as possible of air services into and out of Ireland. Recent traffic growth at the airports confirms the success of the DAA in attracting airline interest and developing new air routes. I envisage that this commercial approach to air services development will be central to the operation of the airports concerned in the future.

With specific reference to Shannon Airport I know that an incentive scheme for new services to European hubs was recently launched there. More generally, the Deputy will be aware that in the light of the recent report of the Senior Officials Group on Aviation the Government has asked relevant Ministers to consult further with the local and regional authorities and report back with proposals for unlocking the further development potential of the Limerick-Shannon Gateway and its wider region.