Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ms Nolan must be doing a good job and that is being recognised.

One of the people who interviewed me when I was looking for a job - I have read about him since then, Lord be good to him - was a man Ms Nolan may have come across in her day, Mr. Brendan O'Regan. He had a magnificent vision for Shannon, the surrounding region and Shannon Airport. Many of the achievements at Shannon were down to Brendan O'Regan. Incidentally, he asked me that question, although he gave me the job. Ms Nolan enjoys her work and working with the team and that is paramount.

Ms Nolan said that in 2013 there had been 12,000 more flights than in 2012. How many does Ms Nolan envisage for the current year or to the end of 2014? I was amazed at the number of flights using Irish airspace every day. If my figures are correct, Ms Nolan referred to 1,800 flights through Irish airspace each day, which, according to my mathematics, amounts to 75 flights per minute per day, a phenomenal figure. Does Ms Nolan see that figure rising significantly?

Ms Nolan stated that the authority obtains no funding from the State and that it is a profitable organisation. I applaud the authority for having no pension deficit.