Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

On the airport aspect of the motion, the Taoiseach on Leaders' Questions told the House that he had not been informed of any change in Government policy on the issue of the transfer of debt to Dublin Airport in regard to developments at Shannon Airport and most particularly at Cork Airport. That may well be the case. In Cork the south-west regional authority holds regular meetings and there is an airport consultative committee that holds meetings of local Deputies and management of airport staff. We have been told in the past fortnight that the business plan being prepared by Cork Airport management committee that will be presented to the Dublin Airport Authority must include a proviso that the operation of Cork Airport takes into account a starting debt of €160 million in respect of the new terminal development at the airport. Either the airport authorities, the meetings at which we are informed as constituency Deputies or the Taoiseach is misinformed. The Minister for Finance needs to clarify that aspect of the debate.

Not only is there confusion about that but there is an imbalance in terms of passenger numbers between our international airports and national and regional airports. Cork Airport suffers as it is not included in the EU-US agreement in terms of landing rights and schedule flights between Cork Airport and locations in North America. There has been an attempt to use charter flights to overcome that difficulty. The lack of a real national aviation policy means Dublin Airport is over burdened and that resources at Cork, Shannon and the regional airports are not being properly used. The Government appears unwilling to tackle this imbalance, possibly because it is preoccupied in straddling the two ideological horses within the two Government parties.

We have an agreement to build a second terminal in Dublin Airport. According to the Taoiseach, it may happen in 2009 but according to the Dublin Airport Authority it may happen in 2010. Given Ireland's recent history in the area of infrastructure none of us can be confident this terminal will be built in the next decade. Even if that building is finished on time and within budget there is the tantalising prospect of the ideologically pure third terminal which appears to be sating the Progressive Democrats in particular. Where it is supposed to be located and who will run it are questions being left float in the ether for us to interpret. Will it be a new airport authority? Is it a Dublin Airport plus authority which will run this new third terminal? Will national aviation policy be determined by an interminable number of terminals at Dublin Airport before we have any degree of balance between Dublin Airport and the other international airports in this country?

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