Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I expect one imminently but the funding will be allocated before the end of the year. The €90 million has to be allocated before the end of the year. It is imperative we ensure airports such as Shannon Airport, which did a fantastic job pre-Covid and is on a positive trajectory, can continue to grow. That will be done through these funds. We will work to ensure that with the airport and its new chairman, Mary Considine, who is doing fantastic work. This issue is constantly evolving and is kept under constant review. We must keep in constant contact with all our airports. I will meet Shannon Airport management shortly.

This is constantly under review.

We had started work on national aviation policy, pre-Covid, before I came into this Department and it was put on hold because of Covid-19, where everyone's focus was. However, now is a good time, as we are coming out of this pandemic and looking at what aviation looks like in that recovery. It is in flux, but that work will start again. That is where working with this committee and working with aviation stakeholders comes in. Through the Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, I have met with representatives of airlines and airports and dealing with workers. It is about listening to the different groups on what is required and ensuring we have that international connectivity, as an island nation.

My assurance to the committee is that I will continue to work with Shannon and the stakeholders down there. I have met with the chambers of commerce which have been very constructive and that helps me in my role. I want constructive suggestions and ways we can move forward, to get positive results, not just for the mid-west region, but for Ireland.