Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is a serious issue and I will approach it from an overarching point of view in relation to aviation. Testing has been an absolute dog's dinner and the State needs a plan for aviation for many reasons, including connectivity, regional balance, employment and climate. There are huge groups of workers and areas affected. The airlines themselves, maintenance and repair, leasing and tourism are all dependent on our aviation sector and our connectivity. The sector has been failed by this Government at the July stimulus and at budget 2021. I call on the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to get testing and tracing right at our airports immediately and to include the aviation sector in a meaningful way in the national economic plan.

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