Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As yet, there is no published plan for how Dublin Airport's chief executive and board of management are going to handle the issues next weekend. I am very concerned at the way people have been treated. Families are disgusted and absolutely appalled at what happened. Approximately 1,000 people missed their flights. The stress and tension caused to families with young children, older people and people with disabilities is unforgivable. I tell the Minister and the board and chief executive of the airport that they should beware 24 June. That is an important date because it is when all our primary schools close and tens of thousands of families will be going to our airports to go on their long-awaited and well-deserved holidays. I am concerned that there will again be absolute chaos. I make the point, clearly and fairly, that the CEO is not badly paid. His wages are €366,370 per year according the 2020 annual report. There are 12 members of the board, four of whom are members of trade unions. I do not know what happened that 800 people were allowed to leave on voluntary redundancy. The DAA has never explained the who, what, where and why of that. It must do so. The people of the country are suffering and they are demanding, and are entitled to, fair and equal transport on the day they choose to avail of it. They need an explanation.

There is congestion every day on the M1 between Drogheda and Dublin, especially between Julianstown and Balbriggan. Accidents happen frequently. Every day the area is mentioned on the news. There is a serious problem here. The argument for the bypass at Julianstown has been well made. The origin and destination survey of the people who use the Julianstown bypass has not yet commenced, yet €2.6 million in funding has been identified with Meath County Council as being needed to deal with the huge traffic issues that arise in the village of Julianstown. We need that money and we need it now under the national development plan, NDP.

Then there is the issue of the cost of rail travel between Drogheda, Laytown, Gormanston and Dublin. It is unacceptable. A return day fare from Balbriggan is €8.95 but from Gormanston, which is a short distance away, it is almost double that at €15. From Laytown it is €16.90 and from Drogheda it is €19.20 for a day-return fare. It is unacceptable. I raised it with the chief executive of the NTA and made my submission to the authority. I hope it will deal with these inequalities in my constituency.

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