OK, fair enough, but it is a different issue. Not saying it's unimportant or less important (certainly to Cork), but the transatlantic access issue does have an impact on ORK too.
I have a thread running on this issue on A.net, which (based on some of the more knowledgeable responses) suggests that we may be screwed. Basically, the vibe is that even if the EU Commission messes things up with its demand for changes in US airline ownership (a no go, but the EU won't accept "no"), it can hold us up indefinitely. It seems to believe it holds all the cards; worse still, the govt seems to believe so, too.
It's going to take a lot of pressure from Ireland and frankly, if Cullen isn't feeling the pressure from ground level, so to speak, it's hard to see that he will push for change. This fight may have to get very unpleasant and dirty, in that it could end up at the ECJ, but it is a necessary fight; the EU Commission clearly believes that in its bid to get an Open Skies deal, it is quite acceptable to impose/maintain a competitive disadvantage on Ireland and EI specifically. As you know, long haul is a major factor in EI's future success and if the EU holds it back, it will affect its competitive position and make it a lot easier for FR to launch a successful attack on it in future.
I'd like to see IALPA being more vocal on this; I'd like see EI itself being more vocal - it is, after all, a publicly quoted company. I don't mean to sound melodramatic, but really, this is HUGELY important to Aer Lingus and the more pressure felt at govt level, the more "incentive" there will be to put up a fight. If you want to see new routes westward, please get writing; if necessary make it an election issue, or even tie it to the Constitiution. The manner in which EI's interests are being treated is grossly unfair and unless we start fighting back and making the airline's position clear, the EU will ride roughshod over it.