Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

The safety of passengers and crews is paramount. However, as it is now proceeding, this is the last thing the Irish economy needed. Have the Department of Transport and the Department of Finance collated any figures in terms of the overall, ongoing economic damage to aviation, airports and tourism? We are aware that our two national airlines are losing €6 million or €7 million a day. The Transport Commissioner, Mr. Kallas, to whom the Minister referred, said in that context that this is an exceptional event similar to that which occurred on 11 September 2001 and therefore European governments should consider some support framework programmes for their airlines. Should the Government not urgently reconsider the entire situation and perhaps propose some support mechanism for the airlines if this continues?

When we last met we had a debate on the travel tax. Is it not time to finally axe that tax, which we know even from a cursory cost-benefit analysis is not beneficial? The yield is lower than the damage it does to the country.

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