Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 26: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the plans he has to ensure that the Shannon Region and the mid-west generally benefit from the potential of Open Skies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25591/07]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the support that will be given to the tourism agencies in order to promote sustainable tourism strategies in the mid west that will help to maintain visitor numbers in view of the Aer Lingus decision on the Shannon Heathrow route and the Open Skies agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25667/07]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the efforts being made either directly by his Department or by agencies under his remit to boost tourism in the mid-west following the loss of the Heathrow slots and to maximise the potential of Open Skies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25565/07]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 36 and 47 together.

The Minister for Transport is currently finalising an Economic and Tourism Development Plan for the wider Shannon Airport catchment area. The Plan has been prepared in consultation with the Department of Finance, the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and my own Department.

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.

The Tourism Agencies are acutely aware of the need to respond in a positive and proactive way to the challenges facing the region and both I and my Department have been in dialogue with them about this.

In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, an appropriate tourism initiative has been formulated in the context of the development of the Plan and I expect that, subject to approval of the Plan, fuller details will emerge closer to Budget day.