EDITORIAL

IS it going to be a week of mixed fortunes for Shannon Airport?  Last Friday, Taoiseach Enda Kenny swooped into Shannon to officially open Transaero Engineering Ireland, a new company filling old shoes.
Employing 240 people, up to recent weeks the Shannon aircraft maintenance company existed as Air Atlanta Aero Engineering (AAAE) but has now been takeover by Transaero, Russia’s second largest airliner.
The acquisition not only secures the jobs of the existing workforce at Shannon but also paves the way for the creation of an additional 100 jobs in tandem with the planned growth of Transaero’s new aircraft maintenance base. It intends to  use Shannon  to conduct heavy maintenance work on its 82 aircraft.
This news has received a warm welcome in the region; more jobs bring benefits to many other enterprises, such as service providers and through employees’ spending power.
The uplifting feeling has been deflated somewhat, however, by fears that Shannon could once again suffer at the hands of Aer Lingus. The loss of services on routes to Britain and the US in recent years spring to mind, not to mention the shelved proposal to base its transatlantic cabin crew at Shannon. Aer Lingus’ first priority has always been Dublin.
This Friday, the Aer Lingus board is due to meet to discuss the possibility of transferring its aircraft maintenance operations from Shannon to Dublin.
Should Aer Lingus go down this road, such a move could impact on up to 70 staff at Shannon. At this point, there are no indications as to how many staff would be offered alternative posts in Dublin. There is talk of the possibility of some staff being taken on by Transaero.
The Shannon facility’s history dates back to the 1960s when SRS was formed to provide ground handling and maintenance for transatlantic operators operating piston-type aircraft. While there have been a number of owners down the years, the facility has kept apace with technology in the airline industry and enjoys a top class reputation worldwide.
Of course, more jobs could follow if Transaero brings Shannon into the loop for its long-haul services. It  operates around 100 long-haul flights a year to Miami and New York and other US destinations and has plans to further expand to a number of secondary airports there. US customs pre-clearence service would be beneficial in gaining an advantage here.
In addition, Transaero also flies to Toronto and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
At last week launch, Mr Kenny said the acquisition of this facility by one of the largest airlines in Russia is a testament to the skills of the workforce at Shannon and he expressed his delight at seeing economic links between Russia and Ireland developing in this way. He hoped Transaero’s experience in Ireland would encourage further investment from Russia.
Clare Fine Gael TD Pat Breen has highlighted the fact that the aviation sector was flagged in the Government’s Action Plan for Jobs as having the potential for future growth and job creation. He said Transaero’s arrival indicates the attractiveness of Ireland, and Shannon, to foreign carriers.
What we have, we hold and build on that, should be the mantra from County Clare, especially when it comes to Shannon Airport-related enterprises and jobs. 
Unlike the previous government, this administration has the luxury of a comfortable majority, so every possible opportunity to support Shannon should be availed of, without having to worry too much about stepping on the corns of the Dublin set.
As has been said time and time again, while the Government has a 25% stake in Aer Lingus, it operates as a privately-owned entity but that shouldn’t stop the Taoiseach from having a quiet word before the board goes into conclave.

Tragedy prompts action

THE self-inflicted death of a 60-year-old Clare man in the acute unit of the Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Ennis last year is a terrible tragedy which, no doubt, still pains his family and friends.
At the man’s inquest in Ennis this week, details of his personal history and last days in hospital were outlined. From this, one can glean that everybody he came into contact with, over a long period at home and for two days in hospital, did all they could for him. Yet, in a brief period, when he was not being observed, he took his own life in his bedroom.
Perhaps some good might follow from this tragedy, however. In bringing in its verdict, the jury said the eight recommendations made by a HSE team following a review of the death should be adopted. The recommendations include improvements to patients’ assessment and observation, a review of the current multi-disciplinary team process, as well as ongoing education and training for all staff on policy and protocol on the use of increased level of nursing observation.
At the inquest, the HSE confirmed six recommendations have already been implemented and the other two are in the process of being implemented.
This case draws attention to the increased risks of serious situations developing in hospitals due to reduced staffing.
Psychiatric Nurses’ Association representative, Denis Meehan, has called for the Government’s controversial national recruitment embargo to be lifted to ensure staffing shortages don’t undermine the HSE’s new recommendations concerning acute psychiatric care at Ennis hospital.
Mr Meehan believes Health Minister James Reilly should apply some common sense and flexibility to ensure staff continue to adopt best practice in treating patients at the acute psychiatric unit at the hospital.
The recommendations should, of course, be applied on a country-wide basis. Patients with mental health issues are particularly vulnerable and everything possible must be done to try to ensure that, if they are admitted to hospitals, they are cared for in a safe environment.