Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief and try to keep to the time allotted. I have engaged with travel agents and have written to the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation and to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding supports for them. With regard to Aer Lingus workers, the Deputies can be assured that protecting jobs and employment is a key priority for the Government.

To answer some of the Deputies' other queries, the Government is acting on public health advice and has adopted a very cautious approach to international travel. It is currently finalising a new medium-term roadmap for living with Covid which will include its approach to international travel. The Cabinet sub-committee on Covid is meeting tomorrow. It is envisaged that plans for international air travel will be considered. We need to explore whether the introduction of Covid testing in the context of international travel can provide an alternative to the restrictions and allow for the reopening of international travel. The Government will discuss that medium-term plan at the Cabinet meeting next Tuesday and it will be published shortly thereafter.

The Deputies can be assured that a great amount of work is happening across Government, led by the Taoiseach's office. Different Government Departments are feeding into this work. My own Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is feeding in with regard to international travel. I have already highlighted the importance of connectivity, including regional connectivity, for our island and the importance of protecting jobs while, at the same time, ensuring that public health is safeguarded.

I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. I know it is a real concern for all of them and for the workers in their constituencies. We are here to try to protect jobs and to ensure connectivity, while remaining highly aware of the need to protect our citizens and public health.

See this speech in context