The Government is not involved in a political conspiracy to cover up advance knowledge of the axing of Heathrow slots at Shannon Airport, Tánaiste Brian Cowen told the Dáil.

The Shannon Airport Authority is holding an emergency meeting today to discuss the news that the Dublin Airport Authority had advance knowledge of the Aer Lingus decision to end Shannon-Heathrow services.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey faced calls for his resignation tonight over the scrapping of the Shannon-Heathrow link.

SIPTU has hit out at the Minister for Transport for ignoring the plight of Shannon airport.

The 40 Gardai were stationed at the airport last September following statements from a group of protestors who vowed to close down the airport in protest at the continued presence of US military personnel.

The five anti war activists who were found not guilty yesterday of criminally damaging a US Navy aircraft at Shannon Airport are refusing to rule out similar actions in the future.

All evidence has now been heard in the trial of five anti-war protesters accused of criminally damaging a US airplane at Shannon Airport.

A group of TDs and Senators opposed to the US use of Shannon Airport have been ejected from the main terminal at the Co Clare facility today.

Hundreds of extra gardai, some of them in riot gear, have arrived at Shannon Airport ahead of an anti-war protest.

The cost of extra security and gardai at Shannon airport for the protest later today has been estimated at €1m.

"Grassroots Network", the group behind today's "direct action" protest at Shannon have dismissed warnings that their actions at the airport later today will amount to nothing but vandalism.

Fears are mounting that a planned anti-war protest at Shannon Airport today will lead to violence and vandalism.

The Catholic Bishop of Killaloe, Willie Walsh, has expressed fears ahead of today's planned anti-war demonstration at Shannon and has confirmed that he will not be attending in case it becomes a violent protest .

A freelance journalist is to fight a High Court injunction restraining protestors from trespassing on Aer Rianta land at Shannon airport.

The Taoiseach has told the Dail that there is no evidence that the suspension of World Airline flights transporting US troops through Shannon is related to security breaches.

Army soldiers have arrived in Shannon this morning to begin their patrol of the airport. They are backing up the Gardaí in a bid to prevent any more breaches of security.

Anti-war protestors have decided to dismantle the so-called Peace Camp at Shannon Airport.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has re-iterated his intention to review the US military use of Shannon Airport if the United States goes to war against Iraq.

Sinn Fein has condemned the Government's decision to deploy 120 armed soldiers to protect US military planes passing through Shannon Airport in Co Clare.

The Government has confirmed that 120 Irish soldiers will be deployed at Shannon to protect US military planes using the Co Clare airport.

A meeting between Garda and Army chiefs about increasing security at Shannon airport is underway.

The deployment of army troops at Shannon airport was being discussed by senior Government ministers today after a US military plane was damaged by peace protesters.