This article is from page 4 of the 2007-10-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE fallout from the loss of the Shannon/Heathrow route – a vital piece of transport infrastructure – will have a marked effect on the abil- ity of the mid-west region to com- pete, according to IBEC’s Mid West Region President, John Liddy.
He said that the need was now pressing to speed up the National Development Plan (NDP).
“With the withdrawal of British Midland from talks with Shannon Airport, it is now likely that there will not be a Shannon to London Heathrow service in January 2008.
“Companies in the mid-west have made substantial investments due to the availability of a Heathrow con- nection to Europe and beyond. The potential loss of connection will be a massive blow to industry in the re- gion.
“Tourism will also take a hit with warnings that over €100m in tour- ism investment and 10 per cent of the Shannon region’s US tourist market accessed through the Heathrow gate- way are in jeopardy.”
Mr Liddy called on the Govern- ment to “recognise its responsibility to the mid-west region.
“There is now a need to speed
up the National Development Plan (NDP). This is an opportune time to fast-track the construction of roads and other infrastructure priorities in the mid-west region. It is critical that NDP projects to the Limerick to Shannon gateway are delivered so that balanced regional development can become a reality and the mid- west region is given a fair chance to compete.”
Meanwhile, more than 250 publi- cans in County Clare have warned of serious consequences for their busi- nesses with the ending of the route.
‘70 pubs have closed in the county in the past three years, with dozens
more now facing a similar fate’, the Clare Branch of the Vintners Federa- tion said in a statement yesterday.
Michael Howard, Tourism Spokes- person for Clare VFI said, “The chal- lenges presented to local publicans should the Shannon-Heathrow serv- ice be lost will further compound the downturn in business that has been experienced in recent years.
“The facts indicate that pubs are closing and jobs are being lost, which is why vintners are furious with the Government’s failure to use its in- fluence in reversing the Aer Lingus O(STerTS(Os MO) mole DWDENSar- MB AoaY Ar NPM BE IToM Ke service the route.”