Large employers warn jobs will go if Heathrow route lost

LEADING employers in the mid-west yesterday warned how the loss of the Heathrow service to Shannon will threaten job prospects throughout the region.

As the campaign to force Aer Lingus to reverse its decision gathered pace, employers said the move would see companies change their business plans.

Managing director of Avocent Ireland and senior-vice president of the global corporation Kieran MacSweeney said the region would not survive unscathed.

The company employs 160 highly skilled professionals in Shannon.

Mr MacSweeney said that investment was made on the strength of infrastructure such as the Heathrow service.

He went on to say it is vital to keep the company in contact with 45 separate global markets.

“I have no doubt it will have an impact on jobs in the region and it will impact on investment.

“There is a very deep anger and concern about a lot of aspects of this decision, from how it was announced to when it was announced and the lack of consultation,” he said.

Mr MacSweeney said the Government could not stand by in silence when the future of regional economical development was threatened.

“Because this is adverse to balanced regional development I think it is in the national interest the Government uses its stake in Aer Lingus to reverse this decision,” he said.

The impact has been felt far beyond Shannon.

Yesterday, the Limerick Chamber of Commerce sought the views from its members about the potential affects. Its chief executive Maria Kelly said it was inundated with responses from companies, some of whom said their future viability was under threat.

In Galway, the chamber fielded similar concerns.

Nortel employs 300 people in Galway, primarily in research and development.

Its director of European marketing David Silke said international companies would think twice about moving to the west coast.

“Shannon is a significant hub for the wider region, you take away that and you add two or three hours to your journey and that is too much for investors.

“It cuts a vital link with our customer base,” he said.

Mr Silke said companies in Galway and along the west coast depended on the Shannon service to convince investors it was a viable region.

“Business people can leave Galway in the morning for the early flight and be in London for a day’s work and then can choose to either fly back home or connect to an onward destination.

“That is just not possible if you have to go via Galway to Dublin,” he said.

In Shannon, Element Six, formally De Beers, employs 600 people and was selected to be the company’s international distribution centre. Its general manger Ken Sullivan said 90% of its business travel goes through Heathrow and it could not afford to lose the link.

“We’re not trying to be scare-mongering about jobs. This is a huge business problem and it’s fundamental to our business to have an airport on our doorstep,” he said.

Chamber representatives from Limerick and Clare meet today to co-ordinate a response and will address Galway representatives in the coming days.