Report on Shannon due next week

A report on connectivity and regional development at Shannon airport is due to be presented to the Government next week.

Tánaiste Brian Cowen said yesterday that a report from an interdepartmental group is expected to be ready by Wednesday's Cabinet meeting, the first since the start of the summer holidays.

The group was set up by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to examine the issue after Aer Lingus's decision to drop its flights from Shannon to London's Heathrow airport from January next year.

Broader issues of regional development in the area are also being examined by the group.

Mr Cowen, the most senior Government figure to speak publicly on the Shannon issue to date, said a Government buy-out of two Aer Lingus slots at Heathrow, currently on lease to other airlines, may not be practical.

One would not be available for a year and the other would not be available for three years, he said, while the times at which both would be available would not compensate for the loss of the existing four Shannon-Heathrow slots.

Mr Cowen said the Government's emphasis would be on seeing whether other international carriers could be attracted to Shannon.