Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

In the light of terminal two, T2, being opened on Friday, will the Minister say whether he considers it is value for money to open a terminal that has cost somewhere between €600 million and €700 million, at a time when passenger numbers going through Dublin this year will be less than 18 million, and each terminal has the capacity of up to 15 million?

I understand this was a long-term investment committed to at a time when passenger numbers were on the rise, and it is easy to look at these figures in hindsight. I should like to ask the Minister about an area that is his responsibility, that is, aviation policy generally. Does he believe it is appropriate that there is no competition between airports in Ireland and that one State-owned company is managing the country's three main airports at a time when passenger numbers over the past two years have fallen by almost 30%, despite the fact that in most European countries passenger numbers are increasing? In France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Germany, Spain and Finland passenger numbers have increased-----

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