Open Skies must include Shannon

THE Government will not agree to any Open Skies deal that fails to take into account the implications of scrapping the Shannon stopover, Transport Minister Seamus Brennan indicated yesterday.

However, with the deal expected to be finalised by October of this year, SIPTU last night expressed fears about the region's future if the stopover is abandoned.

SIPTU national industrial secretary Michael Halpenny said the elimination of the stopover would pose grave problems.