by Alan Jacques
LIMERICK TD Willie O’Dea has hit out at the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) for targeting Shannon Airport in a media campaign aimed at drawing passengers away from the Mid-West region to the Capital.
LIMERICK TD Willie O’Dea has hit out at the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) for targeting Shannon Airport in a media campaign aimed at drawing passengers away from the Mid-West region to the Capital.The Fianna Fail politician, who topped the poll in Limerick City in the General Election, feels it is “completely wrong” for a State body such as the DAA to engage in such cynical advertising.
“People are already sick and tired of the unbalanced regional development that has taken place in recent years and the DAA are now trying to add to the problems we have outside the East coast by attempting to reduce passenger numbers at Shannon Airport,” O’Dea told the Limerick Post.
“If taxpayer’s money is being spent on these adverts, the Minister for Transport should intervene immediately and have the advertising stopped,” he added.
Last week, Clare Fine Gael TD, Joe Carey, who campaigned for Shannon’s independence from the DAA, said the advertising campaign reflects their “clear intention to monopolise air travel”.
He said that over the previous month alone, spending by the DAA on media in the Shannon catchment area was well in excess of €150,000, according to advertising rate cards.
There was no response from the DAA at the time of going to press.
Meanwhile, Deputy O’Dea, who acquired 12,999 first preference votes in the General Election, also revealed that Fianna Fail are still actively trying to secure support from Independent TDs and the smaller parties in order to try and elect Michael Martin as Taoiseach in this Thursday’s Dáil vote.
“If he is not elected Taoiseach we will continue to seek support for him in the days and weeks ahead,” he concluded.
