Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his frankness, but he and I differ significantly as regards airports. He believes that they should be commercial ventures. While I accept his point about putting them on a secure financial footing, he has also stated previously that, after being given the best chance, they either take off or crash land. If we are serious about balanced regional development, which has been a hallmark of successive Governments, one cannot view an airport, which is critical infrastructure, as a commercial venture no more than one can view the tunnel connecting counties Clare and Limerick under the River Shannon in the same way. My colleague, Deputy O'Donnell, will appreciate that. While the airport is such a venture to some extent, the State underpins it and underwrites the losses.

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