Mr. Pádraig Ó Céidigh:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta - Dia leis. Iarraim go gcoinníonn sé air ag labhairt i nGaeilge.

In terms of housekeeping, we will be writing to the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, and his Cabinet colleagues in regard to a meeting in Shannon Airport and showing the support of Government for what Shannon Airport is doing. We, as a committee, very much look forward to the invite to visit Shannon Airport.

I am delighted Mr. Ó Céidigh has taken up the challenge. He is the person for the job and we will work with him, which goes without saying. Shannon Airport is fundamentally an airport. The Tánaiste is on record, and I brought this up in the Dáil, as saying Government is willing to put money into the reactivation of strategic routes and the continuation of strategic routes. I namechecked the Heathrow, Boston and New York routes as three critical routes out of Shannon Airport. Heathrow is up and running with one flight but we want three. We have Boston and New York. All flights are with Aer Lingus, but I am not taking away in any way from other airlines. Ryanair is hugely important. Mr. Ó Céidigh mentioned the statistic that 70% of flights out of Dublin are Ryanair and Aer Lingus. Willie Walsh, former CEO of IAG and now with IATA, said that 60% of all flights out of Ireland were with Aer Lingus and Ryanair, so they are critical.

Will Government support be required when the runway in Cork reopens to ensure the Heathrow slots are retained by Aer Lingus, that we get early morning and late night flights, that we get the three flights per day and that we get the Boston and New York flights back with Aer Lingus in March or as early as possible? What form should that Government support take? That is the bread and butter.

I can go out my front door and go to the Hurlers pub in Castletroy where I can get a bus to Dublin Airport. Why can I not go to D'Olier Street in Dublin and get a bus to Shannon Airport? There is a requirement for marketing.

Can Mr. Ó Céidigh deal with the first question on three flights per day to Heathrow and on the Boston and New York flights? The Government is saying it will put money into a hierarchy of routes and the Tánaiste said the three routes I mentioned, Heathrow, Boston and New York, were not wide off the mark. What does Shannon Airport need in Government supports to increase the number of flights to Heathrow from the one to three flights per day with better times, morning and evening, and to get the Boston and New York flights back with Aer Lingus? It is a hard question but it is fundamental.