Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, in thanking all Deputies for their contributions to this debate.

The aviation and tourism sectors are among those most impacted by the Covid crisis. Civil aviation is emerging from by far the most sustained and challenging crisis it has ever faced, with many analysts predicting that it will take several years to return to 2019 levels of activity. However, the aviation and tourism sectors have benefited from extensive and unprecedented Government supports, as I outlined earlier. This is because the Government recognises that they play a key role in our society and economy. Aviation provides jobs, supports business travel and tourism, connects Ireland to new markets for exports and supports foreign direct investment by multinational companies locating in Ireland.

From early in the crisis, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and I engaged extensively with all aviation stakeholders, including through the aviation recovery task force, the National Civil Aviation Development Forum and the aviation subgroup of the Labour Employer Economic Forum, which I chair. In the most difficult times, we worked together with stakeholders to ensure the resilience of the airlines and airports to survive the crisis. Later, along with international partners, we formulated a plan to enable the safe return of international travel. That said, it is recognised that restoration of connectivity cannot happen overnight. However, while full recovery will take time, I am confident that we are on the right path. I am also hopeful that the spirit of collaboration and co-operation with the aviation sector which has served us through the Covid crisis will again allow us to meet new challenges together in the coming years.

We are already pursuing regulatory reform through the Air Navigation and Transport Bill that will better position the sector for the recovery to come. At international level, aviation must respond to the challenge posed by climate change, in particular, the EU's commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 55% by 2030. This will require investment in new technologies and fuels that have the potential to eliminate the CO₂impact of aviation in the longer term. Until then, the sector must play its part in reducing its carbon impact in other ways. Before the Covid-19 crisis, the Department had commenced scoping work on a new national aviation policy. As will be appreciated, during 2020 it was necessary to shift policy focus to ensuring our airports and the sector could weather the sustained crisis that Covid-19 presented and it was necessary to pause this work. It is the Department's intention to recommence work on a revised national aviation policy in the coming months. A key part of the policy development will be a comprehensive public consultation process as well as close engagement with the aviation industry through the structures of the National Civil Aviation Development Forum.

The Government recognises the value of a strong aviation industry, as is clearly set out in the programme for Government. It also acknowledges our commitment to support EU and international action to reduce aviation emissions. We will continue to support the industry to build on the recovery in the aviation sector which we have seen to date.

As evidenced this week, with the launch of the National Development Plan 2021-2030, across that period we will see €2.4 billion invested in our State and regional airports ensuring the necessary infrastructure is in place to safeguard and enhance our international connectivity and ensure capacity for logistics, both of which are crucial to the economy. The Government will continue to support eligible regional airports under the regional airports programme to support connectivity and ensure safety, security and climate-related efficiency and resilience at these airports. All airports plan to invest in sustainability projects and moving towards carbon neutrality which is very welcome as we look to the future.

My Government colleagues and I will continue to monitor developments in our tourism and aviation sectors with a view to further progressing their recovery. It is our shared goal to see these sectors regain their key positions supporting jobs, growth and innovation in a vibrant and dynamic economy.

See this speech in context