Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome all the witnesses. I would like to put a specific question to Ms Hynes. The script she furnished to the joint committee refers to the impact that a hard Brexit would have and to European hub connectivity for Shannon Airport. I ask her to elaborate on those matters. Along with members of the Shannon Group's management team, I met the Minister, Deputy Ross, on 6 February last. I understand that at the end of March, the Shannon Group sent a submission into the Department about the establishment of European hub connectivity. How has that been received? The 2014 guidelines on state aid to airports and airlines facilitate the State in being able to support start-up aids to airlines where they are of common interest. It requires airlines to establish that they will be viable within three years, will increase the mobility of EU citizens and will increase the connectivity of the regions by opening new routes. I am mentioning this in the context of Brexit. I ask Ms Hynes to update me on this matter. Will she indicate when she expects the Shannon Group to have a new CEO in place?

I ask Mr. Cawley, in light of his knowledge of the airline industry, to set out how important he considers it to be that Shannon Airport has European hub connectivity. It is excellent that we have connectivity with Heathrow Airport. We had connectivity with Charles de Gaulle Airport for a brief period when Aer Lingus pulled out of Heathrow Airport. When the Heathrow Airport service came back, the Charles de Gaulle Airport service ceased. I believe Shannon Airport is absolutely critical for our region. For the last year, I have been pushing the issue of the establishment of European hub connectivity. I appreciate that a submission has been placed before the Department. What is the current position in that regard? Having studied the European guidelines, it appears to me that the mobility of EU citizens and the connectivity of the regions can be increased by opening new routes, in line with section 5.2 of the 2014 guidelines under the heading of "Start-up aid to airlines". I think the State would be able to facilitate route support through public funds over a three-year period on the basis that these routes would not be opened without such support and that such routes would be viable within three years.

More particularly, Limerick and the mid-west region has a disproportionately large number of multinational industries. Tourism is vital to the region. We must have that connectivity. For me, anything to do with Brexit contingencies must involve Shannon Airport having major European hub connectivity. Frankfurt Airport is being mentioned, but I am not particularly precious about the exact location as long as there is connectivity. I ask Ms Hynes and Mr. Cawley to give us a quick update in this regard.