Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The advent of Brexit has had a very negative effect on Ireland overall but it is certainly felt more in some of the regions. In County Clare, we very much look to Europe yet our backs are to the Atlantic Ocean. Since the advent of Brexit, we find ourselves very much cut off from continental Europe. We no longer have air connectivity into continental Europe, our only hub connectivity being to London Heathrow. An ask was made by the Shannon Airport Group last autumn vis-à-visa public service obligation, PSO, application to Government. It is seeking Government supports to subvent that all-important air connectivity from Shannon into continental Europe, and it is specifically targeting a route into Amsterdam Schiphol. I have travelled there twice in the past year to try to cultivate that and push it a bit further. However, the reality is that this cannot immediately wash its face commercially and it needs some Government intervention to ensure Shannon is connected to Schiphol or, if Schiphol is not the answer, perhaps Frankfurt Hahn or Charles de Gaulle. Whichever it is, we need something.

I ask the Taoiseach to look at this because it has been before the Government for several months. There is provision under EU Regulation No. 1008/2008, which provides for states to provide financial support for regions that are remote and require air routes for better connectivity. I ask the Taoiseach to move on that. It is on the desk of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform but the Cabinet needs to make a decision. At the moment, it is pending a decision, which blocks those who might want to take on commercial routes from taking them on.

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