Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)

Aircraft maintenance facilities are extremely important to all airports particularly given the downturn in the aviation sector. Some 300 jobs in Dublin are extremely valuable. We know all about this in the mid-west region. In Shannon, we have Aerospace Limited, Aer Atlanta and the Aer Lingus facility which services the Airbus A330s, the wide-bodied aircraft. I wish the Tánaiste well in her deliberations and on her first date tonight with Michael I ask her to make Mr. O'Leary aware that Ryanair is about to axe 18 destinations at Shannon Airport which will have a huge impact on jobs in the area, and in hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation. I implore the Tánaiste, given that she is having a meeting with Mr. O'Leary, to raise that area also. Along with 300 jobs in Dublin the loss to the mid west region could be almost 1,000 jobs. I ask the Tánaiste to raise that urgent issue because those services will be axed at the end of March.

In regard to the mid west task force and the Links project, which will create hundreds of jobs, what progress has been made since the recent Dáil debate? I appreciate there are problems in regard to EU competition. Will the Tánaiste ensure that Dublin Airport Authority makes the money available for those jobs because we too have an important role to play in the mid west in the aviation sector?

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