Shannon Airport to become independent at midnight

Shannon Airport will become independent of the Dublin Airport Authority from midnight tonight.

The airport will be merged with a restructured Shannon Development to form a new, publicly-owned, commercial entity in 2013.

The Government says 850 jobs have been secured from two local companies as part of the plan for a new international aviation services centre.

But the 220 staff who currently work at Shannon Airport say they are concerned about the future viability of this new company and hence their job security.

They have threatened to go on strike unless assurances are given that their jobs and conditions of employment will remain in place.