Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the context of aviation, I ask that given that we are an island nation for which aviation is significant in terms of our tourism, economy and connectivity, we would update our national aviation plan. The Minister might not be able to give me the complete answer today given that time is short but we need a specific meeting with the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, on aviation for travel and Government policy on that.

I do not mean to strike a discordant note but I am concerned about the number of appointments emanating through the Department arising from the Public Appointments Service, PAS, in the context of the Port of Cork. For the first time ever as far as I can tell, we had a non-Cork person appointed to the board and as chair of the board in Dr. Michael Walsh. Let me add that Dr. Walsh was before the Committee on Transport and Communications with us last week, he is a fine person and he is eminently qualified and suitable. Neither do we have a Cork person on the board of the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA. I make those comments without promoting any candidate or to seek a clientelist approach. Given the region that Cork is, no Cork person came through the PAS. That is wrong,it sends the wrong message and I am curious as to the Minister’s view on that in the context of the DAA and the last two appointments to the board of the Port of Cork.

I thank the Minister for his engagement today. It was robust at times but it was enlightening and I appreciate the Minister giving his time and effort. I will work with him to advance the proposals he wants but we will also have that critical engagement.