Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I assure the Deputy that no one has given me any indication that the current rate of charges at Dublin Airport can be sustained. We now have the determination by the Commission for Aviation Regulation. That clearly has implications and is being studied by the board of the Dublin Airport Authority in conjunction with officials from my Department. The process of the airports separating is well under way.

I cannot make a decision before the proposals are submitted to me for consultation with the Minister for Finance. I am aware of the issues that Dublin Airport Authority is dealing with and it is working extremely well. That should be put on record.

As regards the new boards in both Cork and Dublin, the three boards share a high degree of confidence that the outcomes will be very good. Importantly, the progress they have made this year on the core issue indicates that they are growing enormously in traffic throughput numbers, which justifies confidence that the projections for the future will be more than sustainable when we are in a position to separate.

Finally, I am absolutely committed to the separation of the three airports under the State Airports Act. Everyone involved in the process wants to ensure that we get it absolutely right.

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