Potential loss of Heathrow landing slots is ‘critical’ – Collins

Limerick Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins has raised serious concerns in the Dáil about the Government’s claim that the remaining State shareholding in Aer Lingus is not a strategic asset.

Speaking during a Dáil debate on the sale of State assets this week, Deputy Collins said: “We need a serious debate on what State assets are strategic and what are non-strategic.  In that regard, why is the remaining shareholding in Aer Lingus now being viewed as a non-strategic State asset?  In my part of the country – the Mid-West – we regard the potential loss of the Heathrow landing slots as critical.

“We in the Mid-West region need to retain the landing slots.  In 2007 my part of the country went into a convulsion because we lost the Shannon to Heathrow route.  The now Minister of State Deputy Jan O’Sullivan stated at the time:

“We have had enough of the flowery sympathetic speeches.  We want the Government to use its clout on the Board of the Company and insist that the Shannon-Heathrow route is maintained.”

“I echo those sentiments.  Jan O’Sullivan is now in Government and I want to hold her, her party and the Fine Gael Party to keep their word.  We need to maintain the Heathrow route for connectivity in the Mid-West.  In order to keep the Mid-West’s competitive edge, we need to keep the Shannon to Heathrow route and the only way to keep it is by maintaining our 25% shareholding in Aer Lingus.”

Deputy Collins questioned the Minister for Public Expenditure about why he is now rubbishing the importance of the Heathrow slots and why the Labour Party appear to have changed their position.

“A few years ago when his party was in opposition it nearly brought the House down over the Shannon to Heathrow route, with which I agreed because it was critical.  I was glad that the then Government worked hard and put in board members, when they did not have them previously, and restored the Shannon to Heathrow route.  It is incumbent on the Minister to acknowledge that the Shannon to Heathrow route is a critical strategic State asset for the Mid-West region.”

Deputy Collins appealed to Minister Howlin to see sense on this issue and expressed his disappointment at the change of heart of the Labour Party.