Breen seeks Shannon influence in Dublin

WITH a chilling warning that Shannon Airport is facing into its two toughest ever years, Clare Fine Gael Deputy Pat Breen is pressing for a stronger Shannon say on the parent Dublin Airport Authority board.
While new boardroom line-ups for the three State airport boards have been stalled by trade union protests over reduced worker representation, Deputy Breen wants more than the chairman of the Shannon Airport Authority to be named to the Dublin authority board.
Predicting that “battles at board level will be vital if Shannon is to get a fair share in terms of finance and for developing and sustaining routes”, Deputy Breen wants Transport Minister Noel Dempsey to include a Mid-West appointment “with the necessary aviation background” among his five ministerial appointees to the Dublin board.
While the chairperson of the Shannon authority will have a guaranteed seat on the Dublin board, Deputy Breen explained, “Because of the severe turbulence that is hitting Shannon Airport due to the uncertainty created by the threat of further reduction in services by both Ryanair and Aer Lingus, we need to have somebody from this region who is going to fight for Shannon’s rightful share.”
To underline the lack of Government action, he pointed out that the interim report of the Mid-West Task Force, which includes key measures recommended for reinforcing promotion of the airport, has been “left to gather cobwebs” since it was submitted to Government in July.
In declaring that Shannon faces its greatest test since its establishment in 1945, Deputy Breen says that he predicted the present “complete fiasco” when the break-up of the former Aer Rianta into separate airport entities was embarked on in 2004.
“Back then I warned the Government that the legislation was a botched attempt to deal with the aviation sector and that the cart was being put before the horse in not finalising business plans for the airports in advance of any break-up plan.
“Since then, much of the debate in relation to the future of Shannon Airport has centred on the proposed transform of assets and, in particular, who would retain control of Aer Rianta International,” he added.
While the Shannon-originated Aer Rianta International was bringing home cumulative profits of around €100 million over the past five years, Deputy Breen pointed out, “We had the ridiculous situation where the Dublin Airport Authority was appointed judge and jury over decisions on divesting assets to the other two airports and that was never going to work”.
With a decision on separation of the three airports deferred until 2011 at the earliest, Deputy Breen wants a second Mid-West voice to be included on the eight-member Dublin Airport Authority.
While the new authorities for the three airports were due to take office on September 16, the appointments process has been stalled by trade union protests, which have brought the reduced worker representation issue onto the agenda of the national discussions, which the Government is now trying to prompt.