Dublin chamber wants end to stopover

Dublin Chamber of Commerce has called on the Government to end the compulsory stopover at Shannon Airport for flights from the US.

Minister for Transport Seamus Brennan is currently meeting his EU counterparts in Luxembourg to discuss an "open skies" policy with the US, a move that would put an end to Ireland's bilateral agreement with the US and could make the Shannon stopover illegal.

Jerry Minihane, director of Dublin Chamber of Commerce, said the compulsory stopover had deterred companies from operating transatlantic flights into and out of Ireland.

"Dublin must be the hub for tourism in Ireland," he claimed.