Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. It is not often I get up on this side of the House to acknowledge and welcome an action taken by Government but this is certainly one of them. The expansion of the preclearance facilities at Shannon and Dublin airports is very welcome given the importance of these facilities and the central role they play in supporting the Irish economy and attracting flight links between Ireland and the United States of America. This was why more than a decade ago Fianna Fáil was instrumental in ensuring that Ireland was the first, and remains the only country in Europe, with airports that offer this service for transatlantic flights.

Dublin and Shannon airports are the only preclearance locations in Europe with 1.7 million passengers availing of the service in 2017.

This new agreement will allow Dublin and Shannon Airports to provide additional staff to conduct preclearance services, as well as invest in the physical infrastructure needed to expand these services. A baseline level of services will be borne by the US Customs and Border Protection, with the costs associated with additional services being substantially paid for by the two airport authorities. The amounts to be paid and the arrangements for any variability in these amounts will be set out in the memorandum of understanding between the US Customs and Border Protection and each airport. This expansion is not expected to place any cost on the Exchequer. The US preclearance service has been a vital asset to Irish travellers as it reducers travelling times and increases the convenience with which Irish travellers can reach the United States. As the only European location offering preclearance services, Ireland has been a very attractive destination for airlines seeking additional EU-US flight routes, as evidenced by the fact that 1.9 million passengers accessed US bound flights from Shannon and Dublin Airports in the last year or so. As I said, Ireland is the only country in Europe with two airports offering this service. This has the potential to increase the attractiveness of Dublin in particular as an international hub for transatlantic flights and to generate employment and further growth at Dublin and Shannon Airports.

I understand that this agreement will come into force later this month or early next month. It is wholeheartedly welcomed.

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