I understand that Congressman Smith has tabled an amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for the Fiscal Years 2006 and 2007, which is under consideration by the Houses of Congress in the US. This amendment calls for an economic impact study on the dual gateway policy.
The content of US legislation is a matter for the US Congress. However, several recent reports such as the Brattle Report for the European Commission, the Report of the Tourism Policy Review Group to the Minister of Arts, Sport and Tourism and the Air Transport Users Council of the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland Report into Open Skies all support moving to open skies with the US and emphasise the significant benefits to Ireland when this happens. In light of this, I do not believe that a further impact study of this kind is required.
The restructuring of the State airports, including Shannon Airport is intended to enhance their regional focus and I am encouraged by the close co-operation between the new Shannon Airport Authority and the other regional development bodies in the area. The recently announced Transport 21 ten-year plan for transport in Ireland will address the future infrastructural requirements of the mid west region. In particular, the plan will link Shannon Airport to the Atlantic road corridor, and will upgrade many of the national secondary routes in the vicinity of Shannon Airport. The plan also provides for the completion of the feasibility study of the Shannon rail link, which is examining linking Shannon Airport to Limerick and Galway. Transport 21 will therefore significantly boost Shannon Airport's catchment area in the west.
I have stated in previous replies, the development of an EU-US open-skies regime provides many opportunities for Shannon Airport to contribute to the development of the mid-west. The liberalisation of the aviation market between the EU and US will mean more, not fewer, opportunities for Shannon to develop new routes into North America.
It has been the consistent policy of this Government that any change in transatlantic arrangements will be accompanied by an appropriate transitional arrangement to enable a smooth phasing in of open skies with the US in the future.