Dempsey’s career looks grounded

NOEL DEMPSEY’S credibility was forced to make an emergency landing with one engine on fire after hitting severe turbulence over Shannon.

The Transport Department’s seriously flawed navigation systems were blamed after the minister claimed his senior officials allowed him to fly blind into the biggest political crisis of the summer.

Mr Dempsey had always insisted no early warning sirens went off in Government about plans by Aer Lingus to divert the slots to Heathrow away from Shannon and give them to Belfast until just days before the company announced the move in early August.