Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 66, 76 and 94 together. I have not received proposals for the development of new aircraft maintenance or engineering initiatives at Dublin, Shannon or Cork airports. In any event, these would be matters in the first instance for the Dublin Airport Authority, which operates the three State airports, and for the relevant development agencies.

I have not had discussions with Ryanair on its plans for hangar 6 at Dublin Airport, nor have I been specifically briefed by the company on other locations for the company's proposed new maintenance investment. I have been in close contact with the Dublin Airport Authority and my colleague, the Tánaiste, while she was Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, on the use of hangar 6, which is leased to Aer Lingus.

In recent correspondence with Ryanair, the Tánaiste has confirmed her wish to focus constructively on the possible alternatives to hangar 6, which include the use of available existing hangar space, new builds on available sites on airport land or some combination of the two. The legal position on hangar 6 has been set out comprehensively by the CEO of the DAA in his statement to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport on 24 February.

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