Boycott motion for Limerick council

A former mayor of Limerick city will today put a proposal before a special meeting of Limerick City Council that the local authority boycott the services of Aer Lingus in response to the company's move to end the Shannon-Heathrow service.

Diarmuid Scully (FG) said last night: "The motion that I will be tabling will ask that in any official business, Limerick City Council not use Aer Lingus until the company reverses its decision over the Shannon-Heathrow routes."

The move follows a Shannon-based chief executive last week confirming that US multi-national Molex Ireland Ltd, which employs 500 people, will stop using Aer Lingus in response to its decision. John O'Brien has urged other companies not to use Aer Lingus in protest.

However, Clare mayor Patricia McCarthy last night said that endorsing such a motion "would not be in Shannon's interest and would put other jobs at risk".

Mr Scully said that he was confident of support for his motion from his city council colleagues and from communities across the midwest.

"Essentially, Aer Lingus is now a private company and perhaps through a consumer boycott of the company, it will change their actions. The Aer Lingus brand is already damaged in this region."