A Limerick business group has called for an “urgent review” of policy at the failing Shannon Airport to ensure strategies are put in place to rapidly grow traffic and restore its market share.

The Limerick Chamber claimed Friday that figures released in the Annual Report of DAA for 2010 confirm a collapse in passenger traffic at Shannon Airport, with overall year-on-year traffic down 37 percent to 1.75 million and European traffic down 64 percent from 888,946 to 323,358.

Shannon’s market share at 7.8% of passengers through the three state airports is now at its lowest level in history with no sign of recovery on the horizon.

“Over the past three years traffic at Shannon has fallen 50 percent from a high of 3.6 million passengers to 1.75 million passengers in 2010. No financial figures were released for the individual airports but it is reasonable to assume that the collapse in traffic will have resulted in a significant increase in losses at Shannon Airport,” Limerick Chamber Aviation spokesperson Tadhg Kearney said Friday.

He says the decision by DAA in 2009 to increase airport charges at Shannon has resulted in a major downsizing by Ryanair, a halving of passenger numbers, a significant reduction in number of destinations serviced and an undisclosed increase in financial losses.

Market share loss at the airport is particularly noticeable in the transatlantic market where Shannon’s market share has fallen from 41 percent in 2000 to 19 percent in 2010.

The Chamber is calling for the current failed policy at Shannon, but dictated by DAA, to be abandoned.

A man has been killed following a two car crash on the N21 Friday evening.

Gardai say the two car collision occurred just after 6pm Friday on the Adare to Limerick road at Monearla, four miles outside Limerick City.

The driver, a 53 year old man was seriously injured in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A woman passenger in the car was also injured, as was the driver of the other car. Both suffered only minor injuries in the crash.

The road was closed down for a time Friday evening to facilitate a Forensic Collision Examinations at the scene and diversions were in place.

Witnesses are asked to contact the Gardai in Adare on 396216.

NEW DETAILS
The victim has been named as Patrice Mahu of the Silverbirch Grove area of Dooradoyle.

A woman has been rescued from the river Shannon after she got into difficulty in the water Friday afternoon.

Emergency services, including Limerick city fire service, were alerted around 2.15pm to reports that a woman was seen in the Shannon river near St. Michaels boat club and was being swept away downstream.

The Coast Guard helicopter from Shannon also attended the scene and the decision was made to winch the woman up to the helicopter to safety after she was discovered in the water near Limerick docks.

She was transferred to the Regional Hospital by helicopter around 2.40pm.

She is thought to be in a serious condition in hospital.

Two County Limerick men have been jailed in the U.S for attempting to illegally export rhinoceros horns.

Richard O’Brien and Michael Hegarty, both from Rathkeale, were sentenced recently to 6 months in prison for their role in an attempt to illegally export 4 rhinoceros horns– a protected endangered species in the U.S.

O’Brien and Hegarty pleaded guilty on May 3rd, to a federal charge of Smuggling Goods from the United States in connection with their purchase, from an undercover Fish and Wildlife Service agent.

The U.S department of Justice said Thursday that on November 13th, 2010, O’Brien and Hegarty met with an undercover Fish and Wildlife Service agent in Commerce City, Colorado, and purchased four rhino horns for 12,850 Euro.

After assuring the agent they would not get caught removing the horns from the United States, O’Brien and Hegarty took possession of the horns, placed them in their rental car, and were arrested before leaving the area.

When they were arrested the two told agents they intended to deliver the horns and some antique furniture items to an antique store where they would then be shipped to Ireland.

Along with the prison sentence, O’Brien and Hegarty were also sentenced to 3 years of supervised release and the forfeiture of approximately $17,600, the U.S Department of Justice says.

“The illegal trafficking in rhinoceros horns fuels the dangerous poaching situations we see in Africa, and that poaching has contributed to most species of rhino being listed as endangered. We will continue to pursue investigations into the unlawful trafficking in imperiled wildlife, and we’re pleased that these men were held accountable for their crimes”, said Steve Oberholtzer, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

They were indicted in Denver on November 29th, 2010.

A cyclist who was seriously injured in a road accident in the city Thursday morning has died in hospital.

Gardai say the 39 year old man, who was seriously injured when he was hit by a car on the Ennis Road, passed away Thursday afternoon.

The scene has been examined by Garda forensic collision investigators and Gardai at Mayorstone are again appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact Mayorstone Garda station on 061 456980.

The road between Ivans and the Coonagh roundabout has since reopened.

The driver of the car was uninjured in the incident which happened at 11.25am

Irish presidential candidate David Norris will be coming to Limerick city and county this Friday and Saturday to continue his campaign for the Presidency.

The senator will be at Abbeyfeale Farmers’ Market at 9.30 on Friday morning before continuing on to Rathkeale for one of many walkabouts.

In the afternoon he will visit Southill Family Resource Centre. On Friday night the senator is expected to address his supporters at a fundraising event at the Shannon Rowing Club around 8pm.

On Saturday morning the presidential hopeful will participate in another walkabout at the Milk Market. On Saturday afternoon he will visit Enable Ireland offices while on Saturday night he will open the Inniscealtra Arts Festival in Mountshannon.

The Irish presidential election is due to take place in October.

A cyclist has been seriously injured following a crash on the Ennis Road Thursday morning.

It’s understood the male cyclist was in collision with a car on the road near the Greenhills. Emergency services were quickly on the scene and the man, who is in his thirties, was rushed to the regional hospital in Dooradoyle.

He is said to be a serious condition.

The Ennis Road was closed between the Coonagh roundabout and Ivan’s Cross due to the collision while Garda collision investigators examined the scene.
Witnesses are being asked to contact Gardai at Mayorstone.

A book of condolences in memory of former Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald was opened at Limerick City Hall Monday.

The Book was opened by Mayor of Limerick, Maria Byrne at 11am and is available to sign by the public at Merchant’s Quay over the coming days.

The 85 year old, who brokered the 1985 Anglo-Irish agreement with Margaret Thatcher, died following a short illness last week and was described as a true inspirational statesman and a true political leader.