Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I congratulate the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on his appointment and wish him well. I thank Deputy Deirdre Clune for sharing time with me.

If anything reflects the Pale mentality of the current Government, it is the decision on Cork Airport. A commitment by Government announced by the previous Minister was alluded to by Deputy Clune. It calls into question the value of a Government statement or a Government collective decision announced by an individual Minister, and the value of the programme for Government entered into by the PDs, the Green Party and Fianna Fáil, of which we have been advised, if commitments given are not honoured.

The boardroom at Cork Airport is in turmoil and the main losers will be the travelling public who use the airport, which is a brand new facility and a tribute to everybody who contributed to its development, design and opening. However, if the airport is not debt free, the costs for the travelling public will be much higher than they should be due to higher air fares and the availability of fewer destinations — in recent weeks a decision was made by Aer Lingus to withdraw the Cork to Madrid route, for example. Other operators are not coming to Cork and other destinations will be dropped because costs will be higher for operators using Cork Airport.

This is the consequence of the decision the Government has left with Cork Airport. There is turmoil in the boardroom and this uncertainty does not serve the public in Cork well. I appeal to the Government and to the Minister, at this late stage, to honour the commitments announced by the former Minister for Transport, Deputy Seamus Brennan.

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