asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the steps he has taken or proposes to take to encourage more foreign airlines to carry out crew training at Shannon Airport with special reference to training of crews for Concorde.

The suitability of Shannon Airport for crew training is well known throughout the aviation world and Aer Rianta are unremitting in their efforts to attract foreign airlines to have their crew training carried out there. I understand from Aer Rianta that agreement has recently been reached with Air France for a programme of Concorde training to be carried out at Shannon early next year.

Could the Minister say whether any recent approaches have been made to British Airways with a view to their renewing their former major training schedules at Shannon?

We are very anxious that they would.