The Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen was yesterday presented with a €53 million five-year action plan to sustain transatlantic air services of the Shannon following the ending of the Shannon stop-over.

The phased ending of the stop-over starts in November and, in response to Ireland reaching agreement with the US last year, Mr Cullen proposed the drawing up of a Tourism and Economic Plan to sustain Shannon's transatlantic business in an "open skies" environment.

In a presentation to Mr Cullen, the chair of the steering group that drew up the plan, Clare county manager Alec Fleming, said that the five-year action plan seeks to achieve a tourism promotional fund of €44 million from Government funds, a route support fund of €9 million, and an independent and financially viable Shannon airport.

Mr Fleming said that: "The target for Shannon is to secure a 30 per cent share of the direct transatlantic market between America and Ireland and to achieve an appropriate sustainable level of year round services to main US gateways."

He added that it was important that an extension to the US custom and border protection facility take place at Shannon to provide an opportunity to expand Shannon's US market.

Mr Fleming said that it was also vital that Shannon extend its catchment area in the west of Ireland through the building of new roads and rail links.