Councillors irate at airline executives

FIANNA FÁIL councillors in Clare have expressed anger and frustration at what they claim was the “total disregard” shown to them by Aer Lingus executives.

The executives, including chief executive Dermot Mannion and chairman John Sharman were in Shannon on Friday for meetings to explain the company’s reasons for ending its Shannon-Heathrow service from January.

In a statement issued by the councillors, they said: “As a Fianna Fáil group of councillors, we wish to express our total frustration and disappointment that Mr Mannion and Mr Sharman and their colleagues have shown a total disregard for the elected local representatives of Co Clare by indicating that they were unaware that they were scheduled to meet us.”

Mr Mannion and Mr Sharman were at Shannon Airport on Friday for scheduled meetings with Government ministers and TDs, as well as business, tourism and local public representatives. It had been thought that TDs and councillors would meet airline bosses at the same time. However, the councillors waited until the deputies had concluded their briefing before entering the meeting room, much to the surprise of Aer Lingus bosses.

The document cites Mr Mannion’s “repeated refusal to answer questions regarding when negotiations started on the transfer of Shannon-Heathrow slots to Belfast”.

The councillors called on the Government to intervene immediately.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael councillors are also less than pleased with the meeting. Councillor Joe Arkins said: “This was absolute choreography at its best. Dermot Mannion came down here and met people and that is all we can say he did. We didn’t get any real answers to what we asked, so it is up to the EGM and the legal process to see the slots returned to Shannon which is their rightful place.”