Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his reply. It seems from what he is saying that, in 2007, it was known something was happening although its extent was not clear. Given that the industry is so important and employs more than 1,130 people, could more not have been done? Clearly, the Minister informed the Department at the time in question. However, is it a sufficient defence for the Dublin Airport Authority to state the discussions were secret and that it could not have told the Minister about them, even though it did? More could have been done by the Government, particularly by the employment creating Ministries, to save these jobs. What proposals, if any, has the Government to save them? Six hundred jobs are to go to the wall tomorrow.

See this speech in context