One week to salvage Heathrow connection

THE Government has less than a week to salvage a Shannon/Heathrow service for 2008, it emerged yesterday.

The blow struck by British Midland’s decision not to establish a service between the two airports was made all the more painful with news that a deadline of October 11 exists for the receipt of submissions regarding slots at Heathrow in 2008.

Reacting to the news, the mayor of Clare, Cllr Patricia McCarthy suggested instead of using its influence to seek a reversal of the Aer Lingus decision, the Government had conducted a cynical exercise in supposedly trying to attract BMI.

“As far as I am aware, nothing more than an exchange of letters took place,” she said.

“The Government now has just six days to rectify the situation.”

Labour’s Jan O’Sullivan said direct government intervention was now necessary.

“The coalition has to stop pretending that it is a bewildered bystander,” she said.

Meanwhile, vintners in Clare warned yesterday that unless the Aer Lingus plan was reversed, dozens of pubs would be forced to close.

Michael Howard, tourism spokesman for Clare VFI said: “The challenges presented to local publicans, should the service be lost, will compound the downturn in business in recent years. The facts indicate pubs are closing and jobs are being lost which is why vintners are furious with the Government’s failure to use its influence in reversing the Aer Lingus decision.”