Results 1,701-1,720 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Air Services. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I have set out as openly as I can, in the context of a parliamentary question, the facts surrounding Heathrow slots. Both Deputy Mitchell and I agree that Heathrow slots are crucial. Any major strategic holding the State would have in Aer Lingus would be very significant in dictating some of the strategic issues. Any company would want to maintain the slots. At a European level, an attempt is...

Air Services. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: We have had great success with the new CEO of Aer Lingus and I wish him well. Any significant airline would have been delighted to recruit a CEO of his quality.

Air Services. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: Aer Lingus has a business plan and I urge all sides to implement it. This plan is crucial to the airline's survival in the long term, regardless of what the future strategic structure of Aer Lingus turns out to be. The plan also provides the basis for enormous growth by developing many new routes, both short-haul flights within Europe and long-haul flights.

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 4 together. As the Deputies will be aware, I am currently finalising proposals for the provision of additional terminal capacity at Dublin Airport for consideration by Government very shortly. There are two crucial issues guiding the overall consideration of how terminal capacity will be provided at Dublin Airport. We must ensure the continued overall...

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: There is not.

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I have enunciated clearly my point of view that there are no independent competing terminals. Deputy Shortall is right. The only place this was tried was Montreal.

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: Toronto. Airport charges in the private facility turned out to be four times higher.

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I am giving the Deputy my perspective as Minister for Transport on the matter, which is what she asked me to do. There are no examples of competing terminals and I am concerned about how this would work when it does not work anywhere else in the world.

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: Where it has been tried, it was an abject failure ultimately resulting in the State buying back the terminal at an exorbitant cost.

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: Views have been expressed and questions have been asked. People are entitled to ask legitimate questions about many issues, with which I have no difficulty. To answer the Deputy's question directly, I spent every day over recent months dealing with this issue. I am on solid ground when I say I agree with the Deputy that I cannot find an example of the type she has enunciated today anywhere in...

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The type does not exist.

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: All I can do is make a judgment call on the basis that, where it was tried, it was an abject failure with charges being four times higher in the privately run facility and the state eventually buying it back. Of the 13 expressions of interest, one that was submitted by an airline argued against the concept of an independent or competing terminal, only five could be regarded as clear in terms...

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: On the information that has been presented to me, I disagree with the Deputy in terms of some of the suggestions that several sites that have been decided on are inadequate. As I said in my answer, it is a matter for the Dublin Airport Authority to choose a site. I have no evidence that suggests the authority, as a new body of fine people, many of whom are experts in this area, will knowingly...

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: I do not disagree with that view. In response to Deputy Shortall's remarks, there has been considerable misrepresentation in this debate. People are entitled to ask legitimate questions, but the word "competition" and "being competitive" have been completely mixed up and presented as meaning the same thing, but they do not.

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: What we want is a competitive, efficient, well run, well managed——

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: ——airport for the benefit of our people, namely——

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: ——the customers, passengers and the airlines using the airport. If people want to ask questions, they have every right to do so——

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: ——to come up with an optimum solution. In regard to what Deputy Olivia Mitchell said, there is no disagreement on that. I want the optimum result at Dublin Airport in terms of the terminal. Practically all the airlines agree on what the site should be for much greater reasons than simply putting in place a piece of infrastructure. That is what I have been trying to say for the past few...

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: People must consider the wider picture. This is about Ireland, not individuals. I am not in this business to look after any particular individual but to make a decision on behalf of this country.

Airport Development Projects. (12 May 2005)

Martin Cullen: The House knows well where I stand on this issue.