Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Chairman will be pleased to hear I am not qualified to make a statement on it. I thank the Tánaiste and all the officials for the success of the Presidency. It was obvious that everybody at home and abroad put their best foot forward for Ireland. That was not only clear to us in Ireland but was acknowledged in the media and by other countries. While it is hard to quantify the benefit financially, there are undoubted long-term benefits to us. Will the Tánaiste say a little about subhead A6? One of the issues mentioned by all of the groups who appeared before the committee to speak about trade is improving air links between Ireland and America, Ireland and Canada, Ireland and the Middle East and so on. I was delighted to read in the newspapers at the weekend that Aer Lingus is reopening its route to the west coast of America due to pressure from the multinationals that will, I hope, use it, because if not they will lose it. What does this programme concentrate on? Is it links such as those, or is it in the education area?