Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

I agree that pre-clearance of cargo would be helpful in terms of offering a competitive advantage to Irish airports. That is being pursued but, as Deputy Dooley will be aware from his time on these benches, there is a way of handling these matters. Contacts are first made at official level and site visits are then carried out. There is a right time to raise the matter at political level. In the coming weeks I will meet the US director of Customs and Border Protection in Ireland to carry out a site visit. I will most likely visit the United States in the spring and if anything can be achieved at that stage I will seek to meet the Transport Security Administration or the Secretary for Homeland Security, Ms Napolitano. It is important that political contacts are made when a logjam needs to be broken but the work between officials is proceeding satisfactorily at present.

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