Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

That is always sensible in uncertain times.

I wish to address the specific issue of Cork Airport and the Cork Airport Authority. The Minister will be aware that Cork Airport is currently rudderless in its leadership. Due to deep divisions in the board of Cork Airport before the summer, the chair of the board stepped down and as a result there has been a vacancy since the beginning of June. The Minister knows in some detail the complicated situation that has resulted in stagnation at Cork Airport as a result of this lack of leadership. Cork Airport is expected to compete independently with Dublin Airport yet the manager of Cork Airport is an employee of the Dublin Airport Authority. This is an untenable situation in terms of a viable ambitious future for Cork Airport. The first requirement is a new chair for the existing Cork Airport board so that there can be some discussion and leadership about the way to take Cork Airport forward and implement what is Government policy agreed to by Fine Gael to have three separately run and owned airports in Dublin, Cork and Shannon. I ask the Minister to give the House an indication as to the reason he is continuing to delay the appointment of a new chairman for the Cork Airport Authority and when he plans to address that issue.

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