Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Dawson and Mr. Hackett for their attendance and submissions. I will speak first to the travel agents. Like other Deputies, I have met many travel agents from across Wicklow and south County Dublin throughout the pandemic. It was an insight into a business that I knew very little about before this. It became apparent to me that it is very regulated, there is great safety for people booking through travel agents, and many people get comfort from that. The staff engaged in that business are very experienced and offer that level of service and comfort.

What was stressed to me in those meetings was that the emergency Covid-19 payments were very important in retaining the staff who had been with the agents for a very long time. Given that the witnesses said there is some concern about those payments, we should get clarity on that straight away. The last thing that people in this business who are struggling need is further uncertainty. They need certainty because the business model they have is viable but vulnerable. One of the benchmarks that we need to use for Covid-19 emergency payments is that these businesses that need assistance and get it during this time will be viable once they come out of the pandemic. This is really important.

We had representatives of the airlines before the committee last week, and not one single person asked about ghost flights. I find it incredible and unacceptable that a large, well-funded and resourced business like that would engage in running ghost flights in order not to have to pay refunds. I do not know if we need to get the airline representatives back in before the committee to ask them that question, but it is definitely something we need to write to them about, seeking clarity on that question.

On the point of the 3,500 jobs, these also represent 240 shopfronts and businesses in towns, villages and cities throughout Ireland. It is very important that we maintain the viability of those businesses.

Points 5 and 6 in the recommendations of Dr. Horn's report refer to rebates and stimulus. He states that this would require state aid and would need to be notified to the European Commission in accordance with state aid rules. Has that been done by other European countries? Would Dr. Horn see that as being a barrier or has it been done before and is it just a formality that needs to be gone through?

On point 9 regarding Government investment in the aviation sector in response to the cost of transition to carbon-neutral operations, will Dr. Horn outline what investments or offsetting need to be made now to assist that transition or to get that carbon neutrality?