Jimmy Deenihan
Question:77 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for Transport his future plans for the Shannon region, including Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27650/03]
Written Answers. - Regional Airports.
The national road projects completed, under way, and planned will ensure that road access to the mid-west region in general, and the Shannon area in particular, continues to be improved and enhanced and that the region will remain an attractive and competitive location for development.
While the planning, design and implementation of the national roads programme is a matter for the National Roads Authority, and the relevant local authorities, I understand from the National Roads Authority that total investment in the upgrading and maintenance of the national road network in the mid-west generally in the period 1997-2003, totalled over €57 million. The level of investment in 2003 is 295% higher than in 1997.
This major investment in the region's national road network has funded major projects such as: the completed Newmarket-on-Fergus, Nenagh and Croom by passes and major work on the N18/N19 – Hurlers Cross – and N20 and N21 phase 1 of the Limerick Southern Ring Road which is due for completion in early 2004, the Ennis bypass on which work is due to start in early 2004 and planning and design work on other projects such as Crusheen-Gort and GortOranmore on the N18 and Limerick Southern Ring, Phase 2.
As regards public transport, the Deputy will be aware that the regional authority for the mid-west region is currently preparing regional planning guidelines, which should embrace public transport requirements in the area.
In relation to aviation, following unanimous agreement by the Council of Transport Ministers on 5 June, to give the European Commission a mandate to negotiate an – Open Aviation Area – OAA agreement with the United States, the first round of formal detailed negotiations was held in Washington earlier last month. A second round of negotiations is due to take place in Brussels in December. During these negotiations, a special committee made up of all member states will assist the commission. Ireland is represented on this committee by a senior official from my Department. It is unclear how long these negotiations will take.
In dealing with this issue, I must also take account of wider considerations, especially the opportunities for new business for Ireland currently not being exploited due to the limitation on the number of US destinations open to Irish airlines.
The recent report of the tourism policy review group to the Minister of Arts, Sport and Tourism recommends that my Department should immediately renegotiate the Ireland-US international air agreement in advance of an EU-US agreement in order to remove the present US gateways restriction.
Change in this area is inevitable. Officials in my Department are in discussion with their US counterparts on the Ireland-US Bilateral. Officials are currently engaging, on my behalf, with the trade unions representing airport staff, and I will shortly be consulting the new board-designate of Shannon Airport. When these consultations are concluded, I will decide on the next steps.
I have dealt with the position of autonomy in relation to Shannon Airport in my reply today to Questions Nos. 7,11, 24, 55 to 57, inclusive, 59, 65, 75, 175 and 194.