Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

The key problem is that terminal 2 cost over €600 million to build. The Minister commenced an operation in his Department to have competitive tendering for the right to run the terminal. In that context, Dublin Airport Authority did not have to go through the initial phase. It entered at the second stage and was in a position to compete against any player successful in the first phase. At least three significant international players in airport management, many of whose airports are much bigger than Dublin Airport, entered the first phase but none of them came through the process. This meant Dublin Airport Authority had no competitor to take on the running of terminal 2. Will the Minister clarify whether he then decided that if a sufficiently strong business case could be put to the authority by the Department, he would fix or agree on an operational cost? The key point is this there is no clarity about how many international airlines will use terminal 2 and we must get a return for our money. How can the Minister drive that agenda forward given the monopoly position of Dublin Airport Authority which, without competition, will decide what it will charge?

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