Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to address this important issue. The Minister is well aware of the considerable publicity on the security issues that have arisen at Dublin Airport and within the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA. It is my understanding the DAA and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport have, for the past six weeks, been aware of concerns about an audit of security procedures at the airport. For that reason, we are deeply concerned the Department did not move more quickly to address this issue. The Minister is also aware of the concerns of the people who fly through the airport and, more particularly, the impact this has on business people who must transfer through other airports, particularly Heathrow. It is the case that many people who must necessarily travel through Heathrow must now be screened again there, which will delay access to other locations and airports. It also has a negative impact on Ireland as a place to do business and as a tourist destination.

I ask that the Minister clarify the following issues. When did the Department become aware of the issue concerning the audit of goods sold within the airport environment? Are there any implications for the other two major State airports in Shannon and Cork? Nobody is suggesting there is an immediate crisis or that anything particularly nefarious has taken place but, unfortunately, there is an inability to provide the appropriate recognition of where goods sold in the airport environment emanate, the traceability of same or to stand over the fact that the goods have not been tampered with or could be used in some kind of criminal plot. That raises serious concerns in the minds of the travelling public, and as a result, Ireland has been presented as less than whole in its security arrangements in the airport environment.

This is damaging and the issue should not have arisen. My understanding is this audit by the European Commission was not unscheduled and the Department and DAA were well aware of the procedures in place and that the check would be done. It is disappointing that when it is known a State agency is not conforming to regulations, nothing is done when an audit is allowed to take place. My understanding is that it will take two months to put in place appropriate procedures to allow passengers to transit other airports without having to go through screening or security checks again. If that is so, it is outrageous that remedial action did not take place when the Department and the DAA first became aware of the problem. Will the Minister clarify the issue and the question of why it took so long - or the process of an audit - to spur the Department and the DAA to action?

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