Mr. Eddie Wilson:

What we will do, or, rather, what we have already done as we continue to fly, is to adapt the safety protocols that were set out by the EASA and also the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. We comply with those. As the WHO has stated, there are no known cases of person-to-person transmission onboard aircraft. We have a state-of-the-art filtration systems and masks are used on board. The Deputy will recall that we were the first to call for the use of masks more than two months ago. These sensible measures, if put in place, will facilitate the return to normal air travel. We are complying with that already.

Ireland does not have to do anything other than to say that it is complying with this and to put the EU 27 and the UK on the green list. The health service does what it has done exceptionally well, namely to deal with clusters and infection rates within their jurisdiction. There should be no idea that other countries in Europe are not taking the health of their citizens as seriously as we are here; of course they are. Ireland will also be unfortunate enough to have clusters as we open up. The WHO says that once countries start to open up, there will be more infection. Countries must get on top of that. We really need to get all the countries in Europe back on the green list. They are exactly the same as us and we should take that direction from the EU. I think it is the first time ever that we have not. The idea that Ireland would ignore, say, the European Environment Agency would suggest and do something completely different is unprecedented. People may think they are doing the right thing but it is about the damage they will do, not only to the airlines but the economy. I would like to come back here next year and what it will look like then.