Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This has been an illuminating meeting. Mr. Ó Céidigh can see that there is cross-party, cross-community and stakeholder support for his appointment. Shannon Airport is at a critical juncture.

In normal cases chairpersons of boards are non-executive. That is the standard model and it is a good model but from what we have heard today, Mr. Ó Céidigh can bring something with an executive role. I take on board Mr. Ó Céidigh's point that regardless of whether it is an executive or a non-executive role, he will do his best and we welcome that. Mr. Ó Céidigh can bring a synergy to the Shannon management and board as an executive chair for a period of time because of his background and contacts in aviation.

Mr. Ó Céidigh has been chair designate for little over a week and we wanted him to come before the committee quickly so that he could hit the ground running as fast as possible. We will write to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, today on foot of this meeting to say we have met Mr. Ó Céidigh, that we had an engaging meeting and that we are supportive of his appointment. We will also say that in the circumstances that pertain with Shannon Airport, the Government needs to give serious consideration to making Mr. Ó Céidigh's role an executive chair role for one year to 18 months because of the synergies the airport needs to bring its passenger numbers back fourfold from 360,000 to 1.7 million in 2024. The target would be between 2.5 million and 3 million passengers by 2027, which goes without saying.

We look forward to our Oireachtas group in the mid-west, chaired by Deputy Carey, meeting up with Mr. Ó Céidigh as soon as possible and Deputy Carey will issue that invite. Furthermore, we will write to the Taoiseach and the Government to seek a meeting at the airport. This shows intent and when we write to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, we will be stating that as a group. I am sure the committee will agree with Mr. Ó Céidigh's request and the request we have made that there should be zero landing or airport charges for a period of three years until 2024 and until Shannon Airport gets back to some sort of level footing. The Government is committed to putting money in and that should be expedited as quickly as possible.

There must be further discussions with the Shannon Group and with both Mr. Ó Céidigh as chair and Ms Mary Considine as CEO as well as the others on the management team. That is the immediate thing. We must see planes in the air. We have a window of time now before Cork Airport opens. We must ensure Heathrow routes continue at Shannon but more particularly that we get three daily flights, at morning, daytime and evening and that we get Aer Lingus to get the transatlantic flights running as quickly as possible. I refer to Aer Lingus's routes to JFK Airport and Boston and as well as those of other airlines as well. That is something we feel very strongly about.

Mr. Ó Céidigh's point on the task force and the new aviation strategy is something we will very much be taking up with the Government and the Minister. We will have Mr. Ó Céidigh back in before us on that matter again.

I wish Mr. Ó Céidigh well. This is a key appointment for Shannon, for the entire western seaboard and for Ireland Inc. overall. Collectively as a committee we look forward to working with Mr. Ó Céidigh and his further engagement with us. I have no doubt we will see him back here shortly. Bon voyage.