Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is really important that the aviation industry must survive this pandemic. I mean our airports, airlines and the related sectors, including aircraft maintenance and repair organisations. Ten or 12 years ago, during the previous recession, the construction industry collapsed and this was allowed because it was, in part, blamed for the crisis. We paid a very heavy price for that because two, three or four years later, when we needed a construction sector to build houses and infrastructure, it was not there. I am determined that will not happen again and that sectors like hospitality and aviation should survive this pandemic. We are going to need them when the pandemic is over, and it will end.

It is a matter that the Government is considering. EU state aid rules allow airports with fewer than 3 million passengers per year to receive state aid. This was not done, traditionally, for Cork, as the profits from Dublin were used to cross-subsidise Cork. No profits have been made at Dublin Airport this year, and this will change things. That is the current Government thinking.

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