Mr. Willie Walsh:

The Senator has hit the nail on the head. Airlines will be smaller and, therefore, they will have to look at where they assign the assets they have, which are fewer than they used to be. Ireland today would be very low on the list given everything I have said in terms of the restrictions. These decisions are being taken now. There are airlines that are looking at countries and markets that are beginning to open. We have seen what has happened in the UK with Portugal going on the green list and the emerging capacity that has gone into that country. UK airlines are not going to take that capacity out of Portugal and put it into Ireland. It is going to stay in Portugal and the next country that opens up is going to get some capacity. That is what is going to happen.

If Ireland is at the end of the queue, there will be very little capacity for it. That means inbound tourism is going to be significantly choked and outbound connectivity is going to be significantly inhibited. That is why I say it is urgent that the Government moves on this and does so quickly. I can guarantee that if the UK adds another three countries to its green list tomorrow, airlines that have capacity will put their aircraft into those markets. They are aircraft that could potentially have gone into Ireland. The sooner we do it the better. We are lagging significantly behind the UK and we are lagging behind several other countries in Europe that have already come out and stated that they will allow people with a vaccination to travel in and out without restriction, or they will remove quarantine for people who can show evidence of a negative test. We have to get back in line with other countries.