Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is a hugely important time to protect jobs and support businesses but the Government is doing the exact opposite. Take how businesses and private residents in west Cork were destroyed following recent flooding in Bantry, Skibbereen, Rosscarbery, Bandon and Rathbarry, when the only support they got was humanitarian aid, which businesses cannot get if they already have insurance.

No private residence will get anything from this fund even if they have no insurance. The Minister tells me that he wants to protect businesses and jobs when he is doing exactly the opposite. The Taoiseach came to see the floods first-hand, as did the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, and the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, but not a brown cent is following these visits. From what I hear tonight, there is no money for the roads either. They were badly damaged because of the floods. We have only been given a budget which was approved before the floods. This is appalling. It is west Cork and we know that other than a few weeks of holidays, this stunning place is off the Government's political radar.

Another place that needs emergency aid to survive is Cork Airport. This Government must immediately stop all Government charges on Cork Airport if it is to survive. Cork Airport is losing millions and cannot continue, so it is time to wake up to what I asked the then Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadkar, four months ago. We need to have rapid testing in our airports, which would immediately start businesses here again. I asked for rapid testing in our airports and both the Taoiseach and Ministers were looking at me as if I had two heads but now it must be done. Rapidly test all those coming from destinations on the red list and have voluntary tests for those on the green list if the Government wants to save our airports. Wake up quickly, as the train is gone from the station and the Government is still standing at the platform. If the Government will not help the airports and airlines, it will have devastating consequences for jobs and businesses throughout west Cork.

To help to save thousands of publicans and employees from ruination, who have availed of the moratorium on mortgages which ends in September, has the Government intervened with the banks to continue the moratorium? It was the Government that pointed these publicans out and kept them closed in west Cork, including great pubs such as in Ballinadee, Drinagh, and Reenascreena to mention but a few. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have almost ruined these businesses and threw them crumbs after giving them false promises and hope of a survival package, which ended up being a pittance for these businesses that have been closed for over six months.

See this speech in context