Shannon stopover to end

THE Government has agreed to end the Shannon stopover with the US authorities, it confirmed last night.

Talks to decide a phasing out period ended without agreement yesterday but will continue over the next few weeks.

“We are meeting specifically to discuss a phasing out period as we do not want to pull the carpet out on day one,” said a spokesperson for Transport Minister Martin Cullen. The Government wants a phasing out period of between two to three years to begin when the EU completes negotiations with the US on a new open skies agreement.

Reaction from airport and business groups lobbying to maintain the stopover was muted last night as they waited for details. “We are very much in the dark about developments but we would be very concerned at any change in the status of Shannon,” said Pat Fitzgerald of the Signal workers group at the airport.

The ending of the stopover was accepted as inevitable, however, by the Shannon Chamber of Commerce. Its president, Edmund Jennings, said they had to be pragmatic and the essential task now was to ensure the Government agreed a phasing out time of between three to five years.

“Business, in general, is taking a pragmatic approach to this but will insist that the infrastructural deficits in the region are improved and that approval for the new Shannon Airport Authority comes through as quickly as possible,” he said.

The ending of the arrangement, where 50% of Ireland-US flights must originate or terminate in Shannon, has been signalled for some time.

Yesterday’s bilateral talks between Ireland and the US coincided with the opening of negotiations between the EU on behalf of all 25 member states and the US on a new deal for airlines.

The open skies agreement will end the US dictating to individual EU countries where airlines can fly and should also end the US ban on European airlines picking up passengers for onward flights within the US.