Government can act to save Shannon slot

THE news that businesses from Germany, France and Britain have been contacting companies in the Shannon catchment area in an effort to ‘poach’ industries should not surprise us.

These businesses, and the companies they target, are only too aware of the importance of the connectivity lost with the Heathrow-Shannon slots.

I arranged a meeting for the Shannon Action Group last week in Brussels with the European Commission official responsible for airport matters. The commission was able to clarify many things, in particular that, in the open EU market, Aer Lingus can do what it likes with its slots, as can Heathrow, the Government and everyone else.