Significant differences within Cabinet became public yesterday as senior Ministers clashed over claims that the impact of Aer Lingus's decision to withdraw its Shannon-Heathrow route were being exaggerated.
Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea rejected comments by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey's that jobs and tourism were not being put at serious risk by the decision.
He also struck a much different tone to Mr Dempsey - who has ruled out Government intervention on the issue - by insisting that the Government could still persuade Aer Lingus to reverse its decision.
"I know that some of my colleagues have been saying that it isn't as big a crisis as has been portrayed. They're entitled to their opinion, obviously they are getting their own advice . . . I've been speaking to a lot of interested parties and ordinary people, and I'm happy with my original opinion that it is potentially a very, very serious situation for the midwest and that there's no doubt whatsoever about that," Mr O'Dea said.
Despite Mr Dempsey's insistence that Government intervention on the matter had been ruled out, Mr O'Dea was adamant yesterday that this was not the case.
"The Government has never said that they wouldn't try to persuade Aer Lingus to change its mind. They have been trying to persuade Aer Lingus; they have made strenuous efforts to persuade Aer Lingus management to change their minds.
"All I'm focused on at the moment is getting this problem solved and, as I've admitted to you, in my view it is potentially extremely serious for this area and the seriousness of it could not be overstated." A spokeswoman for Mr O'Dea later said the Minister was speaking in his capacity as a local representative and not as a Government spokesman.
Mr Dempsey said last week that although the Aer Lingus move was not in line with Government policy, it was a commercial decision and the Government would not try to force the company into a U-turn. The Minister for Transport was yesterday supported by Cabinet colleague Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, who said it was time to look at attracting other airlines to the airport.
"It was a commercial decision that was taken by Aer Lingus and we live in a commercial world. I appreciate the concerns and I am aware of concerns about connectivity, but it has to be appreciated that Shannon is already well connected with London via Gatwick, Stansted and Luton."
He added: "Obviously we would welcome if companies adopt an all-island business approach. It is disappointing that Shannon has suffered, but efforts to look at new airline routes is obviously the way to go."
Mr O'Dea said he would raise the issue at the Cabinet's next meeting and added that he was confident that he had the full support of the Government.
"We're a long way from the end game here as we will see in the coming weeks, and I'm confident that I will have the full support of the Government and I'm confident we will resolve it too."
Mr O'Dea, along with local business leaders, is due to meet Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion tomorrow.
"They are of the opinion that the situation is not as bad as it may be portrayed locally; we hope to persuade them otherwise, and we hope to do it in a reasoned, cool-headed fashion," Mr O'Dea said. "No histrionics, no volleys of abuse . . . We'll sit down and try to persuade them that they are wrong."