Mr. Kevin Thompstone:

I thank the Deputy. On the TRSS and how it works, at a minimum level and just month by month, consider July this year for example. We would say to airlines that if they hit a minimum level of 35% of the traffic they had in July 2019, we will give them back the same proportion of their airport charges. We are not saying that it is 1%, 2% or 3%: the airlines must hit a minimum threshold. We want something back from the airlines, which is a minimum level of traffic. If the airlines hit that we would give them back their airport charges pro rata. If they go above that and hit 50%, 60%, 80% or 100% they will get back those charges also. If every airline was to hit 2019 levels of traffic just at the threshold level of 35% this year, going up to 50% next year and graduating up to 80% the total cost would be €20 million over the three years of the programme. If every airline was to hit 100% the total cost would be €38 million or €39 million. This is the equivalent - at the upper end - of what three hotels, for example Dromoland Castle, Shannon Springs Hotel and the South Court Hotel in Limerick, would pay out in wages and Exchequer contributions annually. So the payback is very quick.

With regard to the Aer Lingus decision to close the cabin crew base at Shannon, it is regrettable. I particularly feel for the Aer Lingus employees and staff there. While I do not know many of them not personally, as a frequent user of the airport I know all of their faces and their names. It is important to emphasise, however, that although Aer Lingus is taking the crews out this does not necessarily mean that Aer Lingus will not be bringing the services back. It would mean that they will have to position crews into Shannon. The business community's questions on this are about whether there are any implications for the timings of flights in and out of Shannon airport as a result. The same would apply to Cork Airport if any such decision was to be made there in the future. I heard the CEO engaging yesterday with the chairman. Aer Lingus is obviously under significant financial pressure and are now looking at every angle to cut costs. This brings us back to why the traffic recovery support scheme is so important. We must recognise that for a defined period of time the airports are going to be in difficulty and need to be sustained during the recovery period. That is when governments should be intervening, when there is a market failure and when there is a problem particularly with economic infrastructure. I put it to the committee that connectivity to Heathrow, to Europe and to north American market is a critical piece of economic infrastructure to the whole of the Atlantic economic corridor, wherever one is in that space.