Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Whoever said it was easier to lock down due to Covid rather than to open up was not wrong. We have, however, come to a point now where we must bite the bullet. All our actions take place in context and while the situation is fluid, the headlines around vaccination, hospitalisations, antigen testing, and now the EU green certificate, are all encouraging. Biting the bullet means that we now need clarity on opening up aviation. We need a roadmap to guide us. We need a funding package that underpins the opening up of the aviation sector that will protect jobs and maintain connectivity.

We need to know when the EU green certificate will be operational and what the conditions will be. Will the Minister of State say if we have an indicative date for the introduction of this certificate? People need to know. The aviation sector needs to know. Do we have the operating systems required to manage the use of this certificate? Can the Minister of State assure us of that today?

There has been much controversy about the rapid antigen testing. Ireland is a laggard on this. It reminds me somewhat of the debate around mask wearing at the beginning of the pandemic. I actively advocated for mask wearing from the very outset, as did others. There was real reluctance, however, from some people. The idea that the perfect was the enemy of the good was part of it, but there was also an element of whether we can trust the public to wear masks properly. There was an opinion that medical professionals wear masks and they are trained to do so, but Josephine and Joe Public do not. We had what I would call a type of medical paternalism on the issue. On the antigen testing, the Government's chief scientific adviser, Professor Mark Ferguson, published a report co-authored by Professor Patrick Mallon, Professor Mary Horgan, and Professor Kingston Mills. The report advocated the use of rapid antigen testing to enable the accelerated easing of restrictions in Ireland. Governments across the world are proactively advocating the use of rapid antigen testing as part of their return to international travel. Once again, however, Ireland is dragging its heels when it comes to rapid antigen testing. It is not perfect. No test is perfect, but it has an important role. Is there a hint of medical paternalism here in that, again, Josephine and Joe Public can use these tests themselves and the tests do not have to be administered by a medical professional? Covid can only be managed by a truly collaborative approach. As I said earlier, we are at a point where we as citizens are part of the solution. We are not the problem.

On the issue of Shannon Airport, I once had the privilege of representing County Clare in the European Parliament. I understand the vital importance of Shannon Airport as an economic driver for the region. That is not the only reason I mention this. Shannon Airport matters not just to the mid-west. It matters to the west, to the north west and to the south west. Balanced regional development is literally that: a balance of development for all the regions. If the Wild Atlantic Way has taught us anything, it is that where regions co-operate, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

While it is not specifically relevant to the debate, I will very briefly mention Sligo Airport. I have brought this up with the Minister of State on a number of occasions, but not in the context of connectivity or Covid. It was in the context of search and rescue provision for the west and the north west. It is beyond urgent that funding is channelled to Sligo Airport for safety works already completed. I have raised this issue many times. I will not labour it today but it needs to be dealt with now.

We are a small country. Connectivity is key.

International and transatlantic connectivity is vital to the west coast as well as to the east coast. This is why I speak about Shannon. I was in this Parliament when the process of privatising Aer Lingus began in 2006. I opposed it then and, unfortunately, to some extent the chickens have come home to roost. We have to pay a price for this and so be it but we must pay it. Selling Aer Lingus was one thing. Allowing it to disengage substantially from the west coast would be unforgivable.

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