Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Transport if further meetings have taken place since January 2008 with the US authorities with a view to establishing a pre-clearance facility at Dublin and Shannon Airports for US bound passengers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18410/08]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 440: To ask the Minister for Transport, further to Parliamentary Question No. 104 of 22 May 2008, if he will report on the recent meeting between the Irish and US Governments in relation to the extension to the customs and border protection facility at Shannon Airport; if progress was made at this meeting; if his attention has been drawn to recent media reports that this process will not be completed before the end of 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23043/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 440 together.

As I have previously stated, the provision of these facilities will require the conclusion of an Inter-Governmental Agreement with the United States for which new legislation will be required. These matters take time to conclude but I am hopeful that we can have the legislative provisions in place by the end of this year provided negotiations can be concluded. Good progress is being made in our contacts with the US authorities and my officials met the U.S. authorities on 29 and 30 May, as part of those ongoing contacts.