Results 2,761-2,780 of 10,460 for speaker:Gerry Horkan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I am the only committee member who has not contributed, but as I am based in Dublin, I will give some flexibility and allow five minutes to the two Members who are not members of the committee and are not substituting. I will be fairly flexible on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: All recommendations for the permanent position are welcomed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: That is great. Thank you, Deputy McHugh. Our next contributor is Deputy Dillon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I will bring in Deputy Griffin. I can give you five minutes, Deputy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I am glad. Of the five regional airports, I think I have visited a lot of them but I have flown out of Kerry only and I was going to end up being the Kerry representative if you had not appeared, so it is good you are here now. You can-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I was going to a Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis at the time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: The Deputy has managed to use his entire five minutes in his contribution but we will give the witnesses a little time to respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I was just about to say that if Deputy Griffin had not announced he was not running in the next election, that contribution would be a party political broadcast but since he has, I will let it stand. I let the witness away with a lot there. That concludes Mr. Mulhern's contribution as otherwise the Deputy's head will not fit through the door. I do not doubt his contribution to Kerry...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I will try to cover that issue. I have not spoken yet as a full member and nor have another two full members. I am conscious of the time. I am based in Dublin but I visit all counties, including Donegal recently. I was thinking of flying and I will mention some of the barriers preventing me from doing so. I regretted not flying because I did not realise just how far Dungloe is on a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: Okay. Is Knock about 850,000? Is Kerry about 400,000? What is the forecast for Donegal Airport?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: There is a huge difference between the five airports. I am sure they all saw the Michael O'Leary contribution to the effect that they are all kind of competing with one another on the one side and then there is the big beast of Dublin on the other side. If the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, was here or the Minister of State, Deputy Jack Chambers, who has responsibility for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: That is what I thought it would be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: Is there a possibility that there could be a domestic lane?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I thank Ms Docherty.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: There is a photo of me on a beach in Achill as a six-month old or one-year old on my first holiday. The photo remembers me, but I do not remember the photo.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: Mr. Gilmore is looking for the PSO. I will hear from Mr. Mulhern first and then Ms Considine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: That is in the opening statement. That is the big ask.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I thank Mr. Mulhern. Ms Considine said we did not need to build any extra capacity, that we would just use what we have. I can see that from her point of view because there is a lot of existing capacity, so it is a valid point from her perspective.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I will bring in Deputies Ó Murchú and O'Rourke in a moment. It is very important that we have the regional airports. They generate enormous amounts of activity, employment-wise, in areas that otherwise have greater levels of unemployment. Tourism has a seasonal nature and the airports mean that we are able to bring in large numbers of people. In America, people do not think...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Aviation Policy (Resumed): Regional Airports (15 Feb 2023)

Gerry Horkan: I am going to have to cut off the Deputy. We have ten minutes left. Deputy Lowry is a full member who has a slot he is entitled to, and Senator Chambers and Deputy Ó Murchú have indicated as well.