Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's acceptance that it may not be possible to find an airline to reopen the Shannon to Heathrow route has drawn an angry reaction from Opposition politicians who have accused the Government of abandoning the midwest region to its fate.
In response to Opposition questions in the Dáil yesterday, Mr Ahern said while the Government would not give up on efforts to find a replacement for the Aer Lingus service from Shannon to Heathrow, there was no airline waiting to operate the service.
Last night a spokeswoman for the Department of Transport said that the Shannon airport authority was pursuing all possible avenues to maintain connectivity in the region and the Government would continue to give the authority every support it could.
However, Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O'Dowd said the Taoiseach's statement revealed clearly that the Government had no Plan B and the outlook for connectivity from the midwest had never been bleaker.
"The Fianna Fáil Government's refusal to call an extraordinary general meeting of the Aer Lingus board confirms it has washed its hands of this issue. Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has already admitted that he could have filled the two vacant government positions on the Aer Lingus board when he became Minister. He now claims it is too late to use these nominees to save the Shannon routes. This is an admission of failure," said Mr O'Dowd.
He added that the Government was supposed to use its board representation to protect this country's strategic aviation interests, but has failed to do so. "Its hypocrisy is astounding as a major decision to end the Shannon to Heathrow service could not have gone ahead without the tacit approval of the Government and without reference to the board of management."
Mr O'Dowd said the issue was not confined to the midwest, because Aer Lingus could equally decide to cancel its Heathrow routes from Dublin and Cork. "With a Government that claims it is powerless to intervene for Shannon, there is little hope that Fianna Fáil will act to protect any other issue concerning Ireland's air links with the rest of the world."
Fine Gael deputy enterprise spokesman and Clare TD Pat Breen described Mr Ahern's confirmation that no airlines have expressed an interest in the Shannon to Heathrow service as a black day for Shannon. "The Government's cavalier attitude to Shannon airport and its refusal to use its 25 per cent stake in the company does not bode well for services from any Irish airports. Bertie Ahern and his Ministers have switched to auto-pilot for their aviation policy.
"Ominously, if Fianna Fáil claims it is powerless when it comes to Shannon, there is little hope they will act to protect any of the Heathrow slots from any other Irish airport," said Mr Breen.
His colleague, Kieran O'Donnell, from the neighbouring constituency of Limerick East, claimed Mr Ahern's statement in the Dáil showed that Shannon and the midwest had been thrown to the wolves.
He urged Mr Ahern to convene talks urgently with all parties involved before the end of the week.
"By agreeing to fill the two vacant government-nominated seats on the Aer Lingus board, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has acknowledged the importance of protecting Ireland's link to Heathrow. But he refuses to use this mechanism to protect the slots at Shannon," said Mr O'Donnell.
He added that the Government's regional development policy was now defunct and in reality it never really existed for the midwest.
