Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I compliment Deputy McNamara on putting forward this well-put-together motion. Not only does it affect my backyard, it also covers all the regional airports. I met Joe Gilmore and Mary Considine to discuss the struggle going on at the moment. The Minister of State, in fairness to her, has met them too. I welcome the announcement yesterday. The motion could not be better timed. It puts pressure on the Government to deliver and I compliment Deputy McNamara on that.

One point is that while it is clear the moneys for Cork and Shannon are not subject to EU approval, the €6 million for what we call Knock Airport or Ireland West Airport Knock, as well as the airports in Donegal and Kerry, seems to be subject to EU approval. My understanding was that this was not required under Covid and that we could give aid to our local airports. The one thing we do not want is a situation where an announcement is made and then we learn about the over-and-back with the paperwork and that some person in Brussels has not given us the go-ahead. We do not want people to have their tongues out trying to keep the airports from going broke. The Department has made an announcement but has not delivered the money. I appeal to the Minister of State to clarify the position. I appeal to her to send the details to me, if possible, in respect of EU approval. I call on her to indicate when Ireland West Airport Knock, Kerry Airport and Donegal Airport will get their money. I encourage her to ensure that the cheques for all the airports, including Shannon and Cork, are sent out now. It is no good leaving them with their tongues out waiting for money. The situation needs to be clarified.

Another thing we need to look at is the broader picture of where we are going with airports and the land around airports. There is a significant opportunity with the likes of Ireland West Airport Knock for hangars to be put in. Governments should be prepared to take risks. This is about taking risk. It is about the western arc that goes from Cork to Donegal. We talk about areas and look at the statistics and figures. The likes of Covid has hit those areas harder than the likes of Dublin.

We have to realise that the statistics coming out on RTÉ suggesting that Fáilte Ireland got so many tourists into the country - the figures referred to an increase of 5%, 15% or 20% - do not stack up anymore. If we are to maintain balanced regional development and keep jobs in all parts of our country, then we have to ensure that Fáilte Ireland can give us other statistics. We do not want the data on the one-day trip in a Paddywagon down the country. We want to know where tourists stayed for the week or two of their holidays and the airports through which they entered the country. The facilities for American flights to come to Shannon are in place. The facilities are in place for many other flights to come into the likes of the airports in Knock and Cork. We have to ensure that certain percentages are put on Fáilte Ireland to deliver. We need not give the authority a clap on the back for getting so many people into the country. We need to ensure that certain percentages are brought in. We need to ensure that all our areas benefit, including Dublin. No one has anything against Dublin. We need to ensure that the industry is viable and that we give to business people and tourists the alternative to fly into local airports.

The press release yesterday referred to rail links. I know the TEN-T programme funded a project going from Foynes into Limerick and on to Shannon. We should have the western arc connected to include Galway city, Limerick city, Cork city, Kerry, including Killarney, as well as Donegal and Sligo. We have links there that do not put pressure on trying to keep housing in Dublin or put pressure on people who are renting and all the different parts of it. This is not about them and us. If we have a vision for our country, it should be to treat all our citizens equally and ensure that we give the right to earn a living in Galway, Limerick, Dublin or wherever. I call on the Minister of State to do that. The one thing I want to hear back on is my question in respect of state aid. Why has it been stated that we are waiting on Europe's approval?

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