Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Where is he? To some degree, the Tánaiste is carrying the can for him and I feel sorry for her in that respect because he is not here to answer for the debacle that has happened. He has not even graced the debate with his presence. I ask the Tánaiste where is her companion. What is so pressing that he does not have to be here to address what is a total debacle? Mr. Charlie Haughey must be turning in his grave when one thinks of the long history of Fianna Fáil and the ins and outs of Dublin Airport and the various outfits and organisations and Shannon Airport.

We are hearing about constructive obstruction in which the Tánaiste is almost like the ringmaster. The DAA does this, then Aer Lingus does that and the Tánaiste produces ten page memoranda but there is no outcome or conclusion. The Tánaiste does not even have anything to say to people in Shannon about transport and employment policy in that area. Even Denis Brosnan, who is well known for his earlier admiration of Fianna Fáil, had to throw up his hands and say it has nothing to offer. Will the Tánaiste tell us where the Minister for Transport is? Why is she carrying the can? I know she had an able row of people to support her but she has no answers. The Minister for Transport must have some of the answers. All I have heard here is pure waffle and there is not one job in it.

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