Transport Minister Noel Dempsey’s response to the suspension of several key US –Shannon aviation services is very disappointing. I asked the Minister to examine this matter after announcements by Delta and Aer Lingus that a number of transatlantic routes would be cut from their winter schedules.

Minister Dempsey has told me that he made the "concerns (due to this announcement) known on behalf of the Government to the Aer Lingus Chairman when he informed me of the proposals." But there are three government appointed directors on the Aer Lingus board. Yet Minister Dempsey said that he merely "wrote to the State’s three directors to remind them of their mandate and requested that they take account of Government policy on connectivity, regional development and industrial development in the Board’s consideration of the matter."

It is extraordinary that the Minister had to write to his own appointees to "remind" them of the critical aim of maintaining national strategic aviation connectivity on a year round basis between Shannon Airport and key US destinations. It appears that the Minister is taking no other action on this matter.

The recent finalisation of the agreement with the US government on Preclearance facilities for Shannon Airport and later Dublin Airport is a very welcome initiative. But Minister Dempsey clearly needs to take a much more proactive approach to protecting critical air connectivity at Shannon and other airports across the country given the current extreme challenges that are facing the aviation industry.