Vol. 458 No. 6
8 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications when the Chief Executive Officers of SFADCo and Shannon Airport Marketing were informed of the decision to transfer responsibility for marketing Shannon Airport to Aer Rianta; and by whom they were informed. [17275/95]
34 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he has completed the examination of the total Shannon Airport Package review; and if so, the positive steps, if any, he is taking to stimulate traffic at Shannon. [17419/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 34 together. The decision I announced in Shannon Airport on 24 October, 1995 assigning full responsibility for the promotion and marketing of Shannon Airport to Aer Rianta required Government approval. I obtained that approval on the morning of 24 October. I immediately tried, without success, to make telephone contact with the Chairman of Shannon Development, Mr. Michael Punch.
On my arrival at Shannon Airport, I spoke privately to Mr. Paul Sheane, Chief Executive of Shannon Development and told him of the announcement that I would be making at the function then being held at the airport. At my request, one of my senior officials spoke privately to Mr. David Hogan, Chief Executive of Shannon Airport Marketing and informed him of the position, before I made my address to the function.
In my address, I reviewed a total package of measures for Shannon. In addition to announcing the new marketing arrangements for the airport, I also announced that at my request Aer Rianta had developed a new airport charges discount scheme under which there would be no charges at Shannon for a period of two years for new traffic or new services. I also publicly welcomed the Aer Rianta plans for significant upgrading of the airport terminal facilities, which are the subject of a separate question today.
I also on that occasion acknowledged the intensive efforts being made to attract new air services to Shannon. These efforts have since yielded a very welcome and tangible result in the announcement by Aer Rianta Shannon of the commencement early next month of a new Shannon/London scheduled service.
