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

I thank my colleagues, Deputies Mattie McGrath, O'Donoghue and Michael Healy-Rae for giving me time to speak to this very important matter. It has been well flagged for months now that thousands of aviation workers are facing permanent unemployment if the Government keeps dragging its heels. There is a further complication with Cork Airport because there are plans to close it for a few months at the end of the year for runway works. I have nothing against this work being carried out but I am totally opposed to the airport's decision to fully close the facility. I am also not happy that Cork's airport authority did not consult either me as a public representative or business and tourism representatives from west Cork about the closure. The Minister must step in and pressure must be put on the airport to complete this work at night, as it could and should be done. Otherwise, jobs will be lost and never regained as a result of this closure, which comes on top of the current Covid-19 crisis. A closure of the airport for a further three months must be avoided and we must resume a summer schedule if at all possible, which goes to the end of October. If the runway closure goes ahead, there should be a continuation of the PUP for the affected workers in the aviation sector in Cork for the period of the works.

The Government needs to give a guarantee of no closure for Cork-based crew permanently.

A rapid antigen test needs to be put in place. Since the start of this pandemic I have raised this issue and I have called on the Government, over months and even last year, to put in place rapid antigen testing. The last time I spoke on this, the then Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, and now the current Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, both completely ignored my requests.

We need further financial support for Aer Lingus from the Government. This is absolutely vital and the bottom line is that the Government needs to step up and take action immediately to save aviation.

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