This article is from page 12 of the 2007-09-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
THE ATLANTIC Connectivity Alli- ance 1S preparing to make the case to Transport Minister, Noel Dempsey for retaining or replacing the Shan- non/Heathrow slots at a meeting scheduled for tomorrow.
The alliance — which represents business, tourism, union and com- munity interests — was invited by
the minister to meet with him.
“We welcome this face-to-face meeting with the minister and will be taking this opportunity to leave him in no doubt as to the seriousness of the impact that this decision will have on the region, of our dismay over Government inaction on this is- sue and its apparent inability to un- derstand the grave repercussions this will have for a huge portion of the country,’ alliance vice-chairman, Ken Sullivan said.
“Our priority remains the reversal of this incredulous decision by Aer Lingus to abandon a profitable route for a competitive market in Belfast and we are continuing to work across a number of strands to achieve this.”
The alliance will present the case which they have drawn up and doc- umented. Alliance members have vowed that the Aer Lingus decision to reject Ryanair’s request for an
EGM will not slow their campaign.
“The decision does not impact on the campaign being taken by the alli- ance to retain the Shannon-Heathrow slots and preserve them in perpetuity for Shannon. The alliance campaign will continue across a number of strands, including the meeting with the transport minister,’ Mr Sullivan SrHKOE
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Clare Pa- tricia McCarthy said that the Govern- ment must now take it upon itself to retain direct services between Shan- non Airport and London-Heathrow Mayor McCarthy added she was “bitterly disappointed” with the de- cision by the board of Aer Lingus to reject a request from Ryanair to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders.
Mayor McCarthy explained, “It is now evident that the Government must act and deliver on the guaran- tees given in its IPO document to have permanent and quality con- nectivity from Shannon to London Heathrow.
“The Government has, to date, failed to realise that this is not just a Shannon issue but has major im- plications for the entire country in terms of maintaining critical con- nectivity to one of the world’s busiest airports,” she added.