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Government knew Aer Lingus was axing route
 THE
IRISH Government was this week facing fresh controversy over Aer Lingus’s
move to scrap its London to Shannon service after it emerged the most
senior civil servant in the Department of the Taoiseach knew of the plan
almost a fortnight before the decision was officially announced by the
airline.
Government secretary Dermot McCarthy was informed by the Department of
Transport of the airline’s controversial plans on July 27.
But The Irish Post’s sister newspaper the Irish Examiner has established
Mr McCarthy did not pass on the details to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern —
despite the fact there was a meeting of the Cabinet three days later.
The embarrassing revelation piles more pressure on the Government over
the issue.
Fine Gael Transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd said the Government’s
failure to act on the information about the Shannon to Heathrow route
was unbelievable.
He said: “The Government had a golden opportunity to discuss the
matter at a Cabinet meeting on July 30 but nothing happened.”
It is the second time a top-ranking Government official received advance
details of plans by Aer Lingus to axe its Shannon to Heathrow services
but failed to inform their political masters.
Mr McCarthy learned of the transfers of the airline’s Heathrow slots
from Shannon to Belfast within hours of Aer Lingus confirming the decision
to the Department of Transport on July 27.
Two weeks ago it was also revealed a senior civil servant in the Department
of Transport had known as early as June 13 of the airline’s plans.
But a note warning of the likely closure of the route which was drafted
on June 13 for the attention of the Minister for Transport was never passed
to him.
The latest revelation is likely to provoke further anger in the mid-west
region.
A Government spokesperson confirmed Mr McCarthy had not passed on the
information to the Taoiseach but added: “Mr McCarthy was not clear
if there was a partial or full withdrawal of slots.”
It is understood Mr Ahern was first alerted to the issue when he was informed
by Mr Dempsey on August 3 that Aer Lingus was switching its Heathrow slots
from Shannon to Belfast.
The airline did not publicly announce its decision until August 7. |
