Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Under the Irish aviation authority (amendment) Bill which is proposed to be published later this year, can I ask the Taoiseach about the Norwegian airlines and Cork Airport? Cork Airport is the second largest airport in the country and while there is much abhorrence and horror expressed about President-elect Trump's vision of building a wall, the Administration preceding his in America has already built a wall in the skies which has prevented all transatlantic traffic coming into the second largest airport in this country. It is not for safety reasons. It is not for commercial reasons. It is purely on the basis of political reasons that they will not allow this to go ahead. I have been in contact on numerous occasions with Mr. Dan Katz, chief of staff in the office of the US Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Foxx. There is a political deadlock. Now that there is a new regime coming in to America, would the Taoiseach be prepared to lead a delegation to Washington to ask that the politics be taken out of this and Norwegian airlines be allowed to build a route and a connection between Cork and Washington?

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