Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

While this crisis raged in the west of Ireland, the Government was nowhere to be found. The Taoiseach had been last seen leaving the Fianna Fáil tent at the Galway races heading south. However, just like Nero, he chose to sit idly by while the economy of the west of Ireland faced one of its greatest challenges. Again today the Taoiseach is not here as he is meeting his constituents at the National Ploughing Championships. When the Minister finally appeared he showed no understanding of the seriousness of the situation when he claimed that the key business and tourism leaders in the region were exaggerating. He said that connectivity to Heathrow was not "the be all and end all" for Shannon. For the Minister for Transport to say that the region was exaggerating and claim that we have been telling blatant lies this morning is beyond belief.

Does the Minister believe that Element Six is exaggerating considering that it purchases 2,000 seats per annum and employs 630 people? Avocent Ireland purchases 1,000 seats and employs 160 people. Olympus Ireland purchases 600 seats — just to name a few. Would the Minister claim the Doonbeg Golf Club was exaggerating when it put a €50 million extension on hold or Dromoland Castle was exaggerating when it was forced to put a €25 million investment on hold?

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