Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his reply and I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving us the opportunity to raise this issue. This morning the Taoiseach referred to the strike as an inconvenience to travellers. I do not think he was trying to belittle the effect, but it does not even begin to describe the enormity of the damage that this has already done to this country's reputation, tourism and jobs. There is not a single job in this country that does not depend to some extent on the people and goods which come and go through our airports. Although I do not want to belittle it, it is an outrage that what is effectively a petty little dispute involving 15 people has been allowed to close down the entire country. It is unforgivable. At any time, we would be sending out the wrong message, but at a time when the country is on its knees economically and we are in the middle of a national economic crisis unlike anything we have faced before, it is unforgivable that this should happen.

Only this morning, as the Minister noted, the tourism figures for last year were announced. We lost €1 billion in tourism revenue last year due to the loss of 1 million tourists. Only two days ago, the Dublin Airport Authority announced it was slashing its landing charges and in some cases abolishing them so desperate is it to try to stop the haemorrhage of routes out of Ireland, which is having a hugely damaging effect on the country in every sense but particularly on the tourism industry, where hotels are closing and jobs are being lost.

It is almost as if we have a death wish to allow something like this to happen. I cannot describe to the Minister how outraged people are to have their jobs jeopardised in this way. What they want is the assurance that it cannot happen again, that a few people cannot bring the country to its knees in a way such as this and jeopardise jobs. I want the Minister's assurance, particularly if this dispute is to continue, that at the least he is investigating the possibility of bringing in the Air Corps or, if necessary, bringing in expertise from abroad or from Northern Ireland, which I understand is available. This can be brought in at short notice to man the air traffic control towers if those who are very well paid for this will not do it for us.

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