James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is an incredibly important opportunity to speak before some very important decisions are taken by the Government with regard to aviation and international travel in respect of Ireland. First, as the Fianna Fáil spokesperson on transport, I have had the privilege of working alongside many people working in aviation, including ground crew in airports, airport management, airport employees working in the fire brigade and people involved in aircraft maintenance. Today, I met many of the pilots who are protesting outside Leinster House. I have stood with those people from the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of the supports they require. Obviously, they have gone through extraordinary difficulties. That must be acknowledged.

I wish to make a few important points in this area to the Minister and Minister of State. First, the implementation of the digital green certificate is very good news for aviation, but we must ensure the families who are travelling with children who are not vaccinated have clear protocols in place for how that will be possible. In addition, I strongly encourage the Government to take up the issue of antigen testing with NPHET. The Government prioritised the research for Professor Mark Ferguson's report on the benefit analysis of antigen testing, but we have yet to see serious and meaningful action in that regard. I am hopeful that the Government will examine that area this week.

Of course, many more supports will be required over the next number of weeks. I have to say it was quite difficult to listen to the Member from the Social Democrats who spoke before me talking about the incoherent messaging of the Government on Covid-19. They have mastered that art in their own right. It is very important that every political party would get behind the aviation workers. That is required if we want to get the sector back up and running.

There is a final point I wish to emphasise to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton. The importance of the transatlantic connection to our economy cannot be understated. Some 160,000 people in this country are employed directly through foreign direct investment by US companies and companies from North America. It is absolutely imperative that the Government gives recognition to that fact and allows transatlantic travel to resume as quickly as possible by working with the US Government and its State Department. I have fleshed out some information from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney. His answers were particularly disappointing in terms of the current level of engagement he has with his US counterparts with regard to reopening transatlantic travel. That is a key requirement, and we should be seeking to do it in late July or August, at the latest. Hopefully, it can be back up and running by the autumn. It is imperative that this would happen.

With regard to the funding going to our airports in CAPEX, capital expenditure, and continued OPEX, operating expenditure, supports, that is critical to ensure our airports can continue to operate at a competitive level. I will finish on that point, and I hope those points will be taken on board.

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