Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Kelly raised the question of aviation and made a very fair point. The Government is very clear about the importance of connectivity for our economy and society. I have said repeatedly that we are a small, open economy and society. Covid-19 has hit us hard. We have provided a direction of travel, so to speak, for resuming travel in a structured way from 19 July, arising from our adoption of the European Union Covid certificate. That gives an indication to airlines of where the country will position itself from approximately 19 July.

Substantial supports have been given to the aviation sector. Many Deputies are standing up to say the Government has neglected aviation and so on but approximately €300 million in supports has been allocated to aviation. That includes the employment wage subsidy scheme and a range of other income supports. Additionally, capital funding has been provided to airports, with approximately €80 million alone in 2021. There has been €21 million provided under the regional airports programme, as well as €32 million for Cork and Shannon through a new one-year Covid-19 regional State airports programme. There is a €26 million state aid scheme to compensate airport operators for the losses caused by Covid-19 and the travel restrictions imposed by Ireland to limit its spread. That scheme augments supports already in place and will help the industry to maintain connectivity and make a recovery from the impact of Covid-19.

Aer Lingus has received very substantial liquidity supports in a loan through the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund pandemic stabilisation and recovery fund.

The bulk of the support to airlines is through the wage subsidy schemes. They were specifically designed to maintain the link between employers and employees. Overall there has been very substantial support given to aviation but unfortunately, travel has been way down due to the impact of the pandemic. This is just the reality.

I am in agreement with Deputy on the Shannon Estuary task force and that it must be broadly based. We want to ensure that the local development plans are developed to stimulate economic activity for those areas where we would expect economic developments arising, for example from fossil fuel infrastructure, but which is not taking place, but where other infrastructures can take place such as wind energy. Offshore wind energy offers substantive opportunities in the Shannon Estuary area. We believe that we need to take on board the wider regional agenda there with regard to economic development across transport, logistics, manufacturing, renewable energy and tourism, and to develop a strategy to achieve this potential with support from the Exchequer. This is the context of the task force. The Tánaiste will make announcements on the personnel shortly.

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