The withdrawal by the Coalition Government of its long-standing opposition to an EU "open skies" policy heralds the end of the mandatory Shannon stopover for travellers to and from the United States.
The last government reduced the number of trans-Atlantic stopovers to 50 per cent, against considerable opposition in the Limerick region. Now that requirement, originally intended to encourage regional development, is finally being abandoned. Negotiations between the EU and the United States on alternatives to existing national agreements may take two or three years to complete, but Shannon had better prepare for a more hostile and competitive world.
The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, has sought to reassure local interests that he will not accept any new arrangements that would negatively affect the level of aviation activity and employment at Shannon. The minister may mean well. But the reality is that any "open skies" arrangement between the EU Commission and the US administration will not discriminate in favour of Ireland. Of course, opportunities for development will emerge under any new regime. But it will be up to the Government and to the various agencies operating out of Shannon to anticipate them and exploit them to the full.
Announcing the change of policy last week, the Minister for Transport said the Shannon stopover remained a key element of Government support for regional development in the West of Ireland. If that is the case, then Mr Brennan and the Coalition Government should pay close attention to the innovative proposals put forward last week by Dr Edward Walsh of the University of Limerick for the development of Galway/Limerick/Cork as a vibrant counterpole to Dublin. Just as Shannon acted as a pilot area for development strategies during past decades, Dr Walsh has advocated the establishment of a new "Technopolis" linking the three cities where new concepts in planning, entrepreneurial stimulation, education and health could be tested. A new motorway linking Cork and Galway would be required, he suggests, along with an upgraded public transport system and better access to the continent. An accelerated broadband rollout is vital to encourage knowledge-driven enterprise to locate there and to act as a counterweight to congested Dublin. In terms of vision and style, the proposal puts the Government's regional development aspirations in the shade. The Coalition should now expand its horizons and take advantage of the changing status of Shannon to embark on an exciting and internationally relevant social and economic experiment.