Dáil debates
Tuesday, 10 May 2005
Leaders' Questions.
3:00 pm
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The hallmark of this Government appears to be paralysis, incompetence and lack of responsibility. Every day that passes, it becomes more apparent that the Cabinet has an inability to make decisions and to accept responsibility for decisions. Nobody has accepted responsibility for the nursing homes debacle with a price tag of €2 billion. Nobody accepted responsibility for spending €60 million of public money on electronic voting. Nobody accepted responsibility for road cost overruns that now reach €4 billion.
On the issue of the future of the national airline, Aer Lingus, and the question of a second terminal, the Government appears to be in a state of total paralysis. One former Minister with responsibility for this area, Senator O'Rourke, recognised the need for more capacity as far back as 1999. An Agreed Programme for Government promised a second terminal. Another former Minister, Deputy Brennan, promised a decision would be taken in early 2003. We have listened ad nauseam to the current Minister, Deputy Cullen, saying a decision will be taken shortly. No decision has been taken about access to capital for Aer Lingus. This is the situation day after day. The Taoiseach commented on his very good working relationship with the Tánaiste. While this may well be so, the Minister for Transport and the Tánaiste obviously disagree in public about issues coming before the Cabinet.
The Taoiseach uses another section of Dublin Airport when he is travelling on official business. He will be aware that up to 18 million passengers will shuffle their way through the airport this year. The House is now informed the solution will be terminal three. Will the Taoiseach for once state that the Cabinet will make the decision, stand by it and get on with it?
Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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The Taoiseach is watching the north Dublin vote.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The public, business, travellers and the future of the country are in many ways dependent on the outcome. What is the position regarding access to capital for Aer Lingus and the Cabinet decision in respect of a second terminal?
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy mentioned a number of areas. I will deal with the issue of roads before coming to the other two. At least the Government is building roads. Before we came to office, others talked about them and did nothing about them.
Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Whose money is the Government using?
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Whether it is the bypasses of Portlaoise, Balbriggan, Cavan, Arklow, Donegal, Callan, Nenagh, Blackpool or wherever, we are building roads. We will spend €1.5 billion on main national roads this year. We had a time when we had no overruns because we did not spend anything at all on them, which was a good way of doing it.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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What about the terminal at Dublin Airport and Aer Lingus?
Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Allow the Taoiseach to speak.
Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach is not answering the question.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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That was the first part of the Deputy's question. On the second part of his question, Deputy Kenny would like to make sure and would like me to stand up and make sure that when we reach 20 million passengers going through Dublin Airport, not alone will we have pier D but we will also have a second terminal to cater for them. The answer is yes, we will.
His third question is about making a strategic decision on the capital injection for Aer Lingus. We made that decision last Christmas. The members of the Cabinet sub-committee stated that it was our belief that we should make an injection of capital in the circumstances of the new chief executive and the present chairman of the board. We have discussed that issue with them and when they need to make a move on that we will move. However, it is the Government's position that an equity injection of capital is necessary. The percentage is still a matter of some debate. On the timing, the chairman of the board believes it is not needed now, but the Government's position is that we are in favour of that.
Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach has been very glib in his response in saying yes, we will have a second terminal at Dublin Airport. As leader of the Government, can the Taoiseach outline the position regarding the second terminal? Is it to be owned and operated by the Dublin Airport Authority? Is it to be put out for public tender on a free-for-all basis? Will the Taoiseach accommodate the wishes of the Progressive Democrats and the Tánaiste in particular in respect of competition and capacity? For the past two years his Ministers have repeated this will happen. However, Irish business and the public have the right to know when the Government will make a decision on the matter. In respect of the Taoiseach's comment on Aer Lingus, is he talking about State equity to be invested in the national airline? I ask the Taoiseach to answer those questions clearly so that people will have no further confusion as to where the Government stands.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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At present Dublin Airport has capacity for 20 million passengers and is at 17 million now. It needs pier D by 2007.
Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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The former Minister for Public Enterprise, Senator O'Rourke, stopped that three years ago.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I opened the terminal, to which the Deputy refers, about three years ago
Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Allow the Taoiseach to speak without interruption.
Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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The Taoiseach does not have his facts right.
Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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This is Deputy Kenny's question. Deputy Seán Ryan is not even a member of the Fine Gael Party.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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As I said pier D is required in 2007. An additional terminal is required in 2009. The Government will give all the details of how we feel that should be properly and efficiently accomplished. The main point is that we have a second terminal that will be an efficient terminal and allow the growth of Dublin Airport to develop, which has happened successfully under the Government. We will do that in plenty of time.
Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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It happened despite the present Government.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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On the question of equity for Aer Lingus, we made it clear at Christmas that we believe private equity should be allowed into Aer Lingus. The percentage of that will obviously depend on discussions involving the board. However, the Government is in favour of private equity going into Aer Lingus.