For once in my life, I find myself in the unusual situation of saying that an Irish Government Minister (and a Fianna Fail one at that) is making some sense ...
The Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, has been criticised for claiming that some people in the Mid-West region might be exaggerating the impact of the decision by Aer Lingus to end its Shannon to Heathrow service.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0811/aerlingus.html
Yesterday, one of the tourism grouping from the Shannon region was bemoaning the loss of the route stating that "34% of all tourists into the region use the route". Fine ... I can't confirm or deny that, but can ask ... of that 34% how many are flying directly from London and how many have connected through? Given the break down of Irish tourist figures I'd suspect the majority, by a long, long way originate in the London and SE England area, which is served by other links to the region and the airport.
As for business, having worked in management for a foreign multi national in Ireland, connectivity is an issue, but not a show stopper. Companies set up in remote areas here (as the company I worked for did) with no direct air link to their US parent, customers, the US in gerneral, the UK or even Dublin.
"Ireland plc" will lose some Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) anyway to the lower cost economies of Eastern Europe and Asia, not helped by the state of our infrastrure, be it roads, rail, airtransport, boradband etc, all of which, in parts, are little better than third world with no joined up thinking in terms of strategy.
Shannon Airport has lived a protected life for decades, wrapped up in the cotton wool of the transatlantic stop over and captitive customers and guaranteed revenue. Those days are gone, thank god, and if the airport wants to survive and the region wants to prosper then they have to drop the begrudging and moaning 'beal bocht' (poor mouth) attitude and start to present a positive, dynamic and problem solving attitude ... a complete opposite to the image being offered today.
No one wants to to business with people who only offer excuses for why it can't be doen and want a free ride.
Rant over ...
JAS