James Breen (Clare, Independent)

The Minister and the Government gave us an umbrella when the sun was shining. Now that it has started to rain, they have taken it away. Why has the Minister refused to carry out an impact study on the bilateral agreement for Shannon Airport? Before telling us everything is so rosy in the garden, why will he not have an impact study done on the abolition of the bilateral status of Shannon Airport? It will do much damage to Shannon and the mid-west region. Will the Minister guarantee transatlantic flights to Shannon Airport for 12 months of the year? I do not believe he can. The Government has sold out on the mid-west region. When we had the benefit of the Celtic tiger, the Government did nothing for the west. I am surprised the Minister, coming from the south, supports the Dublin lobby against the rest of Ireland. He can shake his head but it is so.

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