Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate on the related sectors of tourism and aviation. Both sectors are of critical importance to County Clare, the mid-west region and the entire western seaboard. I have just come from a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications at which we formally approved the appointment of Mr. Pádraig Ó Céidigh as chairman of the board of the Shannon Group. There is a groundswell of support for Mr. Ó Céidigh as he takes on this new role and there is cause for optimism that he will place Shannon on the pathway to recovery, with all stakeholders, including the Government, working together. There is a strong case to be made for his post being upgraded to that of executive chairperson and I hope the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, as the Government representative in the Chamber at present, will give that strong and due consideration.

Shannon Airport underpins 46,500 jobs in business and tourism right along the west coast. It is a hub and gateway for tourism and business. In the context of aviation, it is important that a recovery plan is produced and that a fund is made available by the Government to help re-establish key strategic routes such as to London Heathrow, New York and Boston. These routes should continue to be underpinned by Government supports in the short to medium term.

I am encouraged to see that Ryanair is now operating 18 different routes out of Shannon Airport. While I warmly welcome the return of the Aer Lingus Heathrow route, it is only a temporary service. Every effort must be made to reinstate this vital route on a permanent basis and to restore the three daily direct services to Heathrow that we had prior to Covid. Early morning and late evening connectivity to the global Heathrow hub is critical for business and tourism.

National aviation policy needs to be amended to reflect the importance of Shannon to the mid-west and western regions. It is important, as we emerge from the pandemic, that we put in place a solid foundation to rebuild this critical sector. I am asking that the Minister of State ensures that the findings and recommendations outlined in the Copenhagen Economics report, as commissioned by the Limerick Chamber of Commerce, are incorporated into a new national aviation policy.

Like other Members, during the pandemic I have had discussions with people who work in the aviation, tourism and business sectors. It is vital that the critical business supports continue to be made available to tourism and aviation-related businesses. The EWSS has provided a lifeline to our network of quality hotels and guest houses and other tourism business. I am requesting that these businesses, which have been so severely impacted by the pandemic, be given access to the EWSS up until at least June 2022. Equally, the rates relief made available to businesses needs to be extended to the end of the first quarter of 2022, and the 9% VAT rate must be extended for the next number of years to give this vital sector certainty as it rebuilds and recovers.

My final point relates to the importance of the suite of Shannon heritage sites in County Clare. The transfer of these sites to Clare County Council needs to be completed. In doing that, the dedicated members of the workforce at these sites must be consulted and their rights must be respected. I believe that both our aviation and tourism sectors will recover, but we must ensure that the recovery is fair and regionally balanced.

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