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

I thank the Deputies. As I said in response to a previous question, what happened on 31 May at Dublin Airport was completely unacceptable and fell well below the standards expected. We have engaged in our weekly meetings on this. The DAA has put in place a plan and presented it to the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. It is critical that the DAA, which has statutory responsibility to operate and manage Dublin Airport, including in respect of required staffing levels, security staffing and the screening of staff who are needed, does what is required of it.

On the VSS, the terms and conditions are agreed by the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. That is required under the code of practice. However, regarding the number of staff targeted under the scheme, staffing levels are a matter for the DAA. Ministers or Governments do not run airports; that is the statutory responsibility of the DAA. That is what I have said at my meetings. When I met the chair of the DAA, I was very clear that the authority needs to restore the confidence of the travelling public to ensure everyone who turns up at the airport gets their flight on time. That is the role of the authority. I continue to be clear about that.

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