Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I cannot make judgments on statements such as those the Deputy makes in the House without hearing what I consider to be the full facts. I do not doubt what the Deputy is saying but I cannot say what Aer Lingus is doing is outrageous. I can write to it and convey to it what the Deputy has said. If there is a good case for the company meeting these people, sure, I will address it. I am just not familiar with the facts as they have come to the House this evening. I will certainly do that.

On Michael O'Leary saying it is safe to fly, I do not want to make any comment at all except to say that everybody in this space has a particular axe to grind and a particular interest. Michael O'Leary is in the business of selling seats on airplanes. That is his priority. As Minister and as a Government, we have to take note of the industry's views, of course, because it is so important for the connectivity to Ireland. However, we also have to take note of the health authorities' views. When I listen, as I think the Deputy does, to the airlines' spokesmen, we have to bear in mind where they are coming from. I appreciate it, and I know how important they are and what a great job they are doing for Ireland economically. I also have to bear in mind the fact that health considerations are paramount. We have to counter one with the other. I should say that nobody is getting their way all the time in this space. At the end of the day, the Government has recognised that the health of the nation is the most important factor that we have to consider when dealing with the Covid crisis.

On requests from airlines for financial assistance, an awful lot of them have made them. An awful lot of them are getting financial assistance and are using the wage subsidy scheme and the other props which the Government has provided. Some of them come with special pleading as well. Some of them are getting public service obligation, PSO, payments. All of those are continuing. We consider all pleas sympathetically because of the importance of the airline industry and the airports to the connectivity of this country.

See this speech in context