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

I was very clear on the role of the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The terms and conditions of the VSS were approved by both Ministers.

On staffing levels, the take-up under the VSS is completely a matter for the DAA. It runs the airport. It is looking at projections for passenger numbers. It is predicted that the return to the levels of 2019 will be in 2024 or 2025, but that is a matter for the DAA. It runs the airport, not the Department and certainly not Ministers. In fact, it would not be appropriate for a Minister to intervene in the operations of a commercial State body. That is the DAA's function.

To put the matter in context, the CEO said at the meeting of the joint committee that if he knew at the time what he knew now, he would not have made the decisions, but they certainly involved operational and management matters for the DAA. The Minister for Transport and I engage weekly with the DAA on the roll-out of the plan.

Since October 2021, 346 of the 370 additional security staff identified as required have been recruited, and the DAA expects to fill the remainder of the roles by the end of June. These figures were provided to me by the DAA. Of the 346 staff in place, 96 are still in training and these will be incrementally deployed as they complete their training and are certified. I have been told that once the 370 staff are deployed, which is to be by mid-July, the DAA's security staff level will be the equivalent of that of 2019. Again, these are operational issues for the DAA. Ensuring that passengers travelling through the airport make their flights on time is its role and responsibility. I have been categoric with the chair and management on that.

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