Transport Dept failed to inform Dempsey about Aer Lingus plan

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has revealed that his department officials failed to inform him for six weeks that Aer Lingus was planning to scrap its Shannon-Heathrow service.

In a written reply to a Dáil question, Mr Dempsey says his department made a query to the airline after newspaper reports on June 13 that it was considering opening a Belfast base.