Legislation providing for the break-up of Aer Rianta into three separate airport companies has been published.
The State Airports Bill 2004 is 32 pages long and has 27 sections.
It provides for the creation of two new companies to manage Cork and Shannon Airports, on or after April 30 2005. It also provides for the renaming of Aer Rianta as the Dublin Airport Authority, and the appointment of a new board, which can happen before that date.
Before the Cork and Shannon Authorities are appointed, the Ministers for Transport and for Finance must be satisfied as to the state of operational and financial readiness, including business planning, of the three airports.
Staff who work wholly or mainly in connection with Cork or Shannon Airports will be transferred to the new companies, where they can not have less beneficial terms or conditions, except by collective agreement or by agreement with the person concerned.
The Bill also restricts the Commission for Aviation Regulation to controlling prices in Dublin Airport only, and increases the fine for disruptive behaviour on board an aircraft in flight to €3,000.
* Transport Minister Seamus Brennan has said he is confident that the state's Airport Bill will result in three hugely successful State owned airports.
Acknowledging that trade unions remain implacably opposed to his planned restructuring of Aer Rianta, he said the legislation had taken on board a substantial part of their concerns.
Fine Gael has dismissed the legislation as 'little more than a face-saving exercise' for Transport Minister Seamus Brennan.
The President of SIPTU, Jack O'Connor, called the legislation ideologically driven and ill-conceived.
Ryanair has welcomed publication of the bill. 'Competition, even in this limited form, is to be welcomed and Ryanair believes that Cork and Shannon will grow strongly now that they are free from the dead hand of Dublin Airport,' a statement from the airline said.
