Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Transport the nature of the contact his Department had both formal and informal with Aer Lingus regarding the proposed Aer Lingus hub at Belfast; the level of such contact and dates of same; if meetings took place, the attendees, agenda and outcome of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25742/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Transport the nature of the contact his Department had both formal and informal with Aer Lingus regarding the proposed withdrawal of the Shannon Heathrow service; the level of such contact and dates of same; if meetings took place, the attendees, agenda and outcome of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25743/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together.

The nature of the contact my Department had with Aer Lingus regarding the proposed Aer Lingus hub at Belfast and the withdrawal of the Shannon Heathrow service will be dealt with in the context of a report currently being prepared by the Secretary General of my Department. I expect to receive that report within the next week and to make it public.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Transport the nature of the contact his Department had both formal and informal with the Dublin Airport Authority regarding the proposed Aer Lingus hub at Belfast; the level of such contact and dates of same; if meetings took place the attendees, agenda and outcome of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25744/07]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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On 13 June, an official of my Department had contact with the Dublin Airport Authority in order to determine the performance, in terms of passenger numbers and load factors, of the Shannon Heathrow route. The initial contact was followed by some email exchanges. The approach was made in the context of separate contacts between the Department and Aer Lingus concerning the media coverage of a possible Belfast base. The discussion with the DAA was on a confidential basis since it concerned commercially sensitive information about Aer Lingus.