Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for being with us here today virtually. We appreciate her attendance.

Yesterday I was one of a number of Deputies and Senators in the mid-west who met the chambers of commerce from Shannon, Ennis and Limerick and the Irish Hotels Federation. They held a very informative meeting, including a lengthy PowerPoint presentation, on how they envisage a safe return to international flying. I want to put some points to Minister of State based on that meeting.

There is a commonality of purpose within the sectors and those of us who represent this part of the country politically. There is a real need for a multi-annual capital expenditure programme for regional airports. What happened last autumn was very welcome, in terms of support for Shannon, Cork and other airports, but it could take five or six years for there to be a recovery in aviation to 2019 levels. Has the Department examined further funding for 2021 and a continuation of that in terms of a multi-annual programme for the years that follow?