And some little things

With the Government having decided to separate Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority on a debt-free basis, what impact might this have on Ireland West Airport Knock in Co Mayo?

“Our hope is that the Government will see a way of being equally proactive when it comes to using Knock as a hub for aviation, enterprise and tourism for the west and northwest of Ireland,” chairman Liam Scollan told me following the announcement on Shannon on Wednesday.

“Otherwise the people of the region lose out. Why not give Knock and the northwest region a chance to compete for resources such as this?”

Knock received €364,500 this year in a capital grant from the Government as part of a €4.1 million phased payment out to 2014. These funds will be used to address safety and security issues. Scollan said this is small change compared to the support Shannon will receive.

Is Scollan concerned that an independent Shannon might poach some of Knock’s airline customers?

“We believe the future lies in being market driven, efficient, cost-effective and reliable and that is our strength. A level playing field for the market is required if this is to get the best results for the region and the country.”

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British group Networking in the City is preparing to bring its curry club lunch concept to Dublin.

The idea is to bring business people together over lunch to network, and share ideas and contacts. It started in Manchester in 1979 and there are curry clubs in 13 cities in the UK, with the company planning to add more this year.

It will make its debut at Indian restaurant Jaipur in Dublin on June 28th.

“Nobody is forced to stand up and talk for 60 seconds and business comes more naturally over dinner,” Networking in the City managing director Steve Kettle told me.

Kettle hopes to run monthly lunches in Dublin.

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Mobile phone group Vodafone has put its consumer PR account out to pitch after Drury Communications stepped aside recently.

Murray Consultants and Weber Shandwick are believed to be in the mix to win the account.

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Swords-based airline CityJet has appointed UK advertising agency (Beta) to handle its pan-European account, valued at about £2 million a year.

Beta will be responsible for evolving CityJet’s £1 million “Now We’re Flying” ad campaign, launched last September by previous agency Euro RSCG.