Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was not going to refer to Cork at all in this next question because I do not want to be too parochial. I appreciate the Minister of State has to wear the Ireland hat, despite the fact she is, like Deputy Carey, probably coming from the perspective of the west, as is the Chair, which is fair enough. Has the Minister of State, the Minister or the Government sat down with the airlines, to which we gave money for route incentivisation? This afternoon, Mr. Dalton Philips informed us in his presentation and under questioning, that the money, some €97 million, went to the airlines for route development. Some 85% of air traffic passengers are using Dublin Airport. There is now a duty on the Minister of State or the Minister, or both together. The Taoiseach is from Cork, as is the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy McGrath, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney. We have three Cabinet Ministers from Cork and if they cannot deliver balanced regional aviation development, then God knows where we are going. There is a need for the Government to sit down with the airlines to say how we can distribute the 85% of passengers going through Dublin Airport between Cork and Shannon in a way that makes Dublin Airport less congested than it was last weekend.