Tourism plan threatens Shannon stopover

THE future of the Shannon stopover was cast into doubt last night after a Government think-tank recommended urgent renegotiation of the US-Ireland landing deal.

The tourism advisory group’s proposal to bring in more US visitors comes ahead of a meeting in Brussels next week when EU transport ministers are expected to hand over powers to negotiate aviation deals with the US to the European Commission.

Under the present agreement, Aer Lingus has access to five US airports while any airlines operating flights between Ireland and the US must serve Shannon as often as Dublin.

The Government policy is to protect the Shannon stopover and Minister for Transport Seamus Brennan will argue next Thursday for special treatment of Shannon, given its importance to the West of Ireland and the thousands of jobs it provides in the Mid-West.

“Neither the minister nor the Government will agree to any change on current Shannon policy unless an equal or better aviation policy becomes available which would be better for the future of the airport,” the minister’s spokesman said.

The Tourism Review Policy Group, set up by Minister for Tourism John O’Donoghue to advise on developing the tourism industry, says a new flights deal to the US will bring in more visitors from North America to the benefit of the entire country, including the Mid-West.

Aer Lingus wants the Government to renegotiate the bilateral agreement with the US to allow them to gain access to 50 new routes. The EU “open skies” plan will prevent member states from favouring national airlines over EU rivals on the lucrative routes to the US.

Fine Gael’s Clare TD, Pat Breen, said he was concerned by the developing situation and wants to see the Government promote Shannon as a hub airport now the EU is enlarging. “Seamus Brennan should be going out there saying Shannon has to be protected in the interests of balanced regional development,” he said.

The tourism group’s report also recommends building additional fast turnaround terminal facilities at Dublin airport as soon as possible to help develop additional flights from Europe and Britain.

Mr O’Donoghue said he was determined to tackle price rises hampering the tourist industry’s development, highlighted in the report, and said he would implement the key recommendations relating to his department and the State agencies under his remit.

“I set up the review group as I felt the tourism industry was at a crossroads. I would see us being obliged to act upon it,” he said.

The review group’s report says the economic and social contribution of the Irish tourism industry is seriously undervalued, nationally and at government level. But despite recent shocks, prospects for the international travel and tourism sector remain positive in the medium and longer term.

After a successful decade of growth during the 1990s, there are indications of a deterioration in Ireland’s competitiveness in the international tourism market, the report states.