Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I am trying to work towards it. If the Department is not prepared to fund the airports on an ongoing basis, it is important that it provide some practical help. In that respect, the provision of some consultancy or mentoring services would allow people within the airport to consider the potential to gain alternative funding from some other source.

In asking the question I put on the record of this House that we are talking about a relatively small amount of money in return for the level of foreign investment in the region. Has the Minister had any further discussions with the IDA or Enterprise Ireland and how do they intend to mollify the concerns of the companies supported by foreign investment who are large employers? They have indicated it will be difficult for companies to compete for future rounds of funding and it will be more difficult to be competitive with regard to other operators in the sector.

What level of engagement has the Minister had with the business community, and the tourism industry in particular, or State agencies with responsibility for job creation and retaining foreign investment?

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