Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Colleagues have made similar points. The last time there was investment in the runway in Cork was thirty-odd years ago. Obviously we must continue to invest in infrastructure to make sure that it is up to date and safe. To go back to what I said earlier, it is my expectation that we will decide on these matters relatively quickly. That sort of project is one which would fit into an NDP review. It would not provide immediate support in the context of the crisis in aviation but is more of a long-term, strategic issue for the airport. That sort of project would fit into an NDP review rather than the more immediate issue of providing support for the airport. I met representatives of some of the trade unions at Cork Airport on Friday last and they made the very clear case that Cork Airport is in real difficulty. Traffic is down by 76% compared with the same period last year and passenger numbers are down from approximately 2.6 million in 2019 to an anticipated 600,000 this year. My understanding is that only KLM and Aer Lingus are currently flying in and out of the airport.