UNIONS at Shannon Airport were yesterday accused of adopting a head in the sand approach to saving the company as talks were referred to the Labour Court.

ENTERPRISE Minister Micheál Martin is not prepared to say who should pay the €160 million debt for Cork Airport's new terminal until a team of consultants give their view on the issue.

THE public body charged with the strategic development of the south-west will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the controversial debt issue facing Cork Airport.

BUSINESSMAN Ulick McEvaddy said yesterday he is confident that the Competition Authority will allow him access to Dublin Airport runway, clearing the way for him to build a third terminal there.

OVER €20 million will be set aside by the new Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) for a voluntary retirement package to attract at least 260 workers, an industry source confirmed last night.

DUBLIN Airport Authority (DAA) will today reveal plans for the controversial new second airport terminal that is estimated to cost up to €200 million.

VINCENT WALL’S letter (Irish Examiner, September 29) claims that the Dublin Airport Authority is best placed to develop the second terminal.

CORK City Council last night called on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern personally to intervene in the row over the €160 million debt for Cork Airport’s new terminal.

HUNDREDS of former aviation workers protested outside the Dáil yesterday, calling for their State pensions to be increased to match those of other public-sector retirees.

THE GOVERNMENT has finally given the go-ahead for a second terminal at Dublin airport and plans to allow independent companies bid to build a third terminal within the next 10 years.

THE company brokering talks on the €160 million debt impasse between Cork and Dublin airports has been asked to withdraw from negotiations because of a conflict of interest.

THE Government was accused last night of frustrating the break-up of Aer Rianta by not supporting a State-appointed board trying to run one of the country’s main airports.

THE Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) should not be allowed “saddle Cork Airport with debt because they see it as a threat”, the Government’s deputy chief whip said yesterday.

THE letter from June Scannell regarding lack of facilities at Cork airport (Irish Examiner, January 6) is a timely reminder that action is needed if the airport is not to remain at the bottom of the list of political priorities.

THE Shannon Airport Authority is missing out on a huge opportunity to tap into innovative proposals which would help make the airport more commercially viable, a union leader said yesterday.

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen said he favoured a majority sell-off of Aer Lingus which would put an end to speculation about the future of the airline.

DUBLIN Airport could be paralysed by a security staff strike over the October Bank Holiday weekend after workers yesterday raised the possibility of a total withdrawal of labour.

HOPES faded last night that Cork’s political representatives would obtain an urgent meeting with Transport Minister Martin Cullen to discuss the potentially crippling €80 million debt facing the city’s airport.

DUBLIN Airport may have three independent terminals operating within the next five years if a Progressive Democrat compromise to resolve the most serious Cabinet row since the National Stadium at Abbotstown is accepted.

AN emergency meeting between Transport Minister Martin Cullen and the Cork Airport Authority (CAA) on the subject of the airport's €80 million debt was described last night as having been very positive.