26 May 2015: Dr. James Ring, CEO, Limerick Chamber has issued the following statement in light of government approval to sell their shareholding in Aer Lingus to IAG.
“Since rumours of an initial bid by IAG to acquire Aer Lingus emerged toward the end of last year Limerick Chamber have continuously lobbied to ensure that future connectivity for our members is not jeopardised. We made our position very clear when we presented to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications in January, and reiterated this message in a recent meeting with Minister Donohoe.
Our concerns have always been on the need for European hub and transatlantic connectivity from our region to enable our members to access international markets, locate new suppliers, meet customers, and generally expand their business to create jobs and support the economic viability of our region.
Our focus has always been less about ownership and more about ensuring that long-term guarantees regarding the 23 slot pairs connecting Ireland to London Heathrow, and more specifically the 3-slot pairs connecting our region to this European hub, are cast iron. Maintaining daily direct transatlantic connectivity from the West of Ireland plays a key role in supporting and attracting investment along the Atlantic Coast and facilitating the international expansion of our indigenous base.
The proposal accepted by government provides a guarantee of connectivity between Shannon Airport and Heathrow for 7 years. Limerick Chamber is now focused on working with our members, from SMEs to multinationals across the region, to support growth at Shannon Airport. We will collaborate and work with our partners in building the business case to ensure that route connectivity from Shannon Airport remains viable into the future; and support the innovate team there to ensure that any future alterations to connectivity has minimal impact on the businesses and people in this region,” concluded Dr. Ring.
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About Limerick Chamber:
Limerick Chamber is the leading business organisation in Midwest region supporting and representing the interests of over 450 businesses
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