Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. I am disappointed that we will have to wait so long before debating the legislation. Shannon Airport was for many years the backbone of the west in the context of the passenger numbers that passed through it. There has been a massive decline in those numbers in recent years. The Minister indicated that no state aid is assigned to Shannon. Does he envisage any such aid at any point in the future should the airport run into problems? There are not many airlines in Europe that do not receive some type of state support.

In regard to new businesses and so on, can the Minister give some indication of how his Department proposes to promote Shannon, attract new businesses and airlines and so on? Is there any prospect of other airlines coming into Shannon?

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