James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is good to hear that Ryanair is in negotiations with Cork Airport. As a fellow Corkonian, I am delighted that the company is recovering. There is exceptional leadership at the airport from Neil McCarthy and his colleagues.

I am on the record of this committee as having a serious issue with the DAA over its handling of what has happened in terminal 1 and the capacity constraints there. I met DAA officials around 8 October about terminal 1 in Dublin Airport and the tunnel that has been very much discussed here today. I have yet to receive an official response from that meeting. I know we are looking at putting this on the work programme. I want to get a better insight into Ryanair's view and position. According to the DAA, it does not have any intention of putting up any terminal infrastructure, extension of piers, etc., until 2029. If you were to take the 2019 figures of around 33 million, it will hit those figures again next year if the economy remains relatively stable, which is was already in excess of the statutory cap at the airport. What is Ryanair telling the Government regarding its views on that gap between 2019 and 2023 where it is effectively trying to run a cattle mart there with the level of passengers it intend to put through terminal 1? I have flown through it many times with Ryanair. I love flying with Ryanair. It is very simple. I always use the airline but the experience at terminal 1 is awful. I wanted to get Ryanair's perspective on that gap.