Results 15,221-15,240 of 26,097 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: On a question to Ms Considine, how quickly would Shannon be up and running with pre-departure testing and what would be the cost?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: I wish to follow up with a line of questioning. Mr. Philips, if rapid testing is not introduced by the Government as part of the opening of the European traffic system on 8 November where will Irish aviation be over the next six months?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: What would Mr. Philips say to people who have the view that flying in and out of Ireland is unsafe on public health grounds? Safety concerns is the countercharge that has been put forward. I ask Ms Considine and Mr. MacCarthy the same question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: As it stands at the moment, Mr. Phillips, is the level of cash the DAA is burning per week for it to continue to exist in the public domain?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is Mr. Philips willing to indicate the level of funding?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: Can Mr. Philips encapsulate what the Government and NPHET needs to do now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: One can test for just €6 per passenger.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is Ms Considine at liberty to give us an indication of the level of cash the Shannon Group is burning at the moment? How can it survive? Does she regard 8 November as D-Day?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: With all due respect Mr. MacCarthy, that was taken from us.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Mr. MacCarthy. Dr. Holohan and the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, will be before the committee next. We will address what can be done to bring in pre-departure rapid testing on 8 November.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: Could Mr. Phillips make the case that if rapid antigen testing came in at airports, it would improve public health in terms of risk where the virus is concerned?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: You are not going to take a leaf out of Mr. Wilson of Ryanair's book, are you?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: On foot of that, have the airport groups had discussions with Government and the Departments on their liquidity requirements?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Oct 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Mr. Philips, Ms Considine and Mr. MacCarthy for their engagement with the committee. We will have follow-on hearings next week with the Chief Medical Officer and chairman of NPHET, Dr. Holohan, and with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, around the whole area of testing and the HIQA report. I hope the witnesses will tune into it. The committee will then issue a report.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: Apologies have been received from Deputy Matthews and Senator Buttimer. I believe Senator Burke is substituting for Senator Buttimer. I welcome Dr. Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer and chair of the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET; Mr. Liam Morris, principal officer, Department of Health; and Dr. Cillian De Gascun, director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, NVRL,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Dr. Holohan for his opening statement. I will now call the members according to the rota we have agreed. Deputy Cathal Crowe has seven minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: We are here to discuss the aviation sector. The question the public are asking relates to Christmas. We are in level 5 until 1 December. People tend to return home from 14 December for Christmas. Ryanair, Aer Lingus and other airlines have said that they will operate flights to facilitate Christmas travel. I refer to Dr. Holohan's presentation, in particular page 6, where it states: ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am not expecting this now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: I raise it in the context of 8 November approaching. I am seeking Dr. Holohan's views on pre-departure testing in respect of travel from orange and red zones, in particular red zones in respect of which people would be required to undergo a pre-departure test, quarantine for five days and then undergo a further test. Is there support for this? Will we reach a point whereby people can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Kieran O'Donnell: For 14 days.