Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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The Minister's presentation noted in particular the possible benefits of the EU Presidency, and he indicated there would be tangible benefits from the number of visits by officials and media during the first six months of 2013. It is up to all of us to exploit that as much as we can. Will all these people come through Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport? I returned from a Council of Europe meeting a couple of weeks ago to a significant queue; the arrivals area was packed with people. I was delighted to meet a Minister of State in the queue, and it is a new departure for this Government that Ministers and Ministers of State do not go through the VIP area but rather queue with ordinary citizens. One of the officials told me that the queue was a regular occurrence, which disturbed me.

When I got to the Garda kiosk I asked if there was a go-slow but there was not. I was asked if I knew the number of aeroplanes which arrive in the evening and although I did not, I presumed the authorities could plan for such events. Is there a real danger that the officials coming to Ireland will see a worrying picture of the country on their arrival? Notwithstanding the significant amount of money spent on Terminal 2, the service provided is completely dysfunctional.