Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

If the Minister was not so disruptive, I would address the air transport issue.

I welcome the opportunity to address this transport agreement. Unfortunately, the Labour Party does not have a Deputy in Clare but this issue affects Limerick East and the entire mid-west region. Platitudes from the Minister are no good to the region. We need constructive action. We cannot stop the open skies policy because it has been agreed between the EU and the US. I accept there will be more than 25 million additional passengers between the two continents as well as the creation of 80,000 new jobs. We will not be able to stop that tide but we want the Minister to seriously take on board the concerns of the mid-west region. There is no evidence those concerns are being taken on board by him.

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