A Government motion expressing 'disappointment' at the Aer Lingus decision to axe its Shannon-Heathrow route, has passed by just one vote in the Dáil this afternoon.
The motion, which followed Aer Lingus decision last month to replace its Heathrow slot with flights to Belfast, states the Government will support efforts to seek replacement services for Shannon.
But the motion has been widely criticised by opposition parties who say it does not go far enough. Both Labour and Fine Gael put forward replacement motions this afternoon, which would have sought to force Aer Lingus to drop plans to axe its Shannon link to Heathrow.
A number of Fianna Fáil TDs were absent from this afternoon's vote with only 68 of a possible 89 Government TDs voting on the motion. This meant the motion only passed by one vote.
Fine Gael Transport spokesman Fergus O'Dowd TD said the vote showed that a large number of Government TDs broke ranks and failed to support the Government.
He said this has wider ramifications and questioned the strength of the coalition government. This was especially the case on the heels of last night's vote on Dáil confidence in the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern following his evidence in the Mahon Tribunal, he said.
The Government had whitewashed the issue with a "meaningless" Dáil motion that would do nothing to safeguard the Heathrow services from Shannon, he said.
Today's debate comes as the region suffered another blow today after Tyco Electronics announced that 178 jobs would be cut in its Shannon plant. It is to transfer its operations to facilities in India, China and Mexico.