Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

The discussions are ongoing. They certainly have not yet concluded. The real issue arises around the schedules for the winter and for next spring. It is in the next few weeks that the airlines will determine their schedules for the winter. What they do will be the best test of whether they have responded not what they say.

In the event that it does not go ahead for the winter schedules, there is always the possibility of doing it in the spring or using the moneys to promote tourism in another way or to promote flights in another way. I definitely do not want to give the airlines something for nothing. I am not prepared to do that with taxpayers' money.

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