Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 14: To ask the Minister for Transport when legislation giving effect to the preclearance facility at Shannon Airport will be published; when the facility will be up and running; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22870/09]

Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will report on the roll-out of the preclearance facilities at Shannon and Dublin Airports; when preclearance facilities will be fully operational at Shannon and Dublin Airports; if Aer Lingus will be utilising the preclearance facilities at Shannon; the expected number of additional routes and services to be created at Shannon in the first year of full pre-clearance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28401/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 43 together.

As Deputies will be aware the Aviation (Preclearance) Bill 2009 was passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas last week as is due to be signed into law by the President this week.

My officials are working closely with the U.S. authorities on the final aspects of the operating procedures between the two administrations to ensure that preclearance will work to the benefit of both countries. My objective is that these collaborative efforts with the U.S. will allow preclearance to be inaugurated in Shannon before the end of July. It is scheduled to become operational at Dublin Airport in November 2010 with the completion of Terminal 2.

I understand from Aer Lingus that the airline would face severe logistical difficulties in a situation where their ex Shannon flights would be precleared and their ex Dublin flights would not. Accordingly I understand that they have taken a decision to postpone using preclearance for their flights until the service is available both in Dublin and Shannon.

Two daily British Airways services from London to the U.S. are due to use Preclearance at Shannon from the autumn and I hope that more airlines will follow this example.