Fianna Fáil TDs told about records before release to Irish Examiner

FIANNA FÁIL TDs and senators were briefed about the highly damaging Department of Transport documents about Shannon’s Heathrow slots hours before they were given to the Irish Examiner.

Transport Minister Noel Dempsey briefed a meeting of the parliamentary party on Wednesday morning about the nature of the records that were being released to the Irish Examiner under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).

In particular he mentioned the June 13 ‘Note for the Minister’s Information’, which revealed that department officials knew of the emerging situation six weeks before Aer Lingus opted to move its Heathrow slots to Belfast.