Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I do not accept propaganda by Ryanair on the matter. Any objective assessment of the Dublin Airport Authority clearly indicates that the airport charges there are in accordance with the EU average and probably a little bit below that. The attitude of a private firm such as Ryanair is precisely why I would not like to go down the route of having a privatised Dublin Airport. As far as I can see the private sector would only be interested in profit. It would not be interested in the good name of Ireland and the impression that might be given to first-time visitors to this country. The airport is the first place they see in the country. That would not enter into the reckoning for a private sector company. It would be a case of how it could maximise the profits from the asset.

Reference has been made to Dublin Airport being a monopoly. There is only has one airport in Dublin. It does not make much sense to think one can have three or four operators there. We tried to ensure that the terminals would operate as separate entities but that was not successful. We now have to depend on the regulation of the Commission for Aviation Regulation to try to ensure the situation is competitive. In fairness to the Dublin Airport Authority, it has produced a profit for the State on a regular basis. The details are provided in reply to a later question which I will not anticipate. The DAA has served the State well.

On the question of whether there should be one company or three companies, that is due for review in 2011.

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