James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is deeply worrying to hear that. There is a major requirement for the Department of Transport to act on that immediately in parallel with the Departments with responsibility for expenditure and capital investment. I am sure other representatives will follow up on that.

I will make a final point to Ms Considine and Mr. Philips. Transatlantic travel is important to the DAA and to Shannon Airport but it is also important we have political engagement with our respective colleagues in the US and Canada to get our transatlantic services resumed as quickly as possible. It is disappointing to hear it will be 2022 before transatlantic flights depart from Shannon Airport again. That needs to be expedited as much as possible if we see a recovery before then. I thank the witnesses.