Results 5,021-5,040 of 5,363 for speaker:Cathal Crowe

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

Cathal Crowe: It was a devastating blow to County Clare and Shannon that in the same week the traffic light system was announced, the Ryanair base at Shannon closed. I would largely agree with Mr. Wilson regarding the regionalisation argument. The Covid-19 figures are released around teatime every evening. When the ECDC talks about regionalising risk, it seems, and I made this point yesterday, that it...

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

Cathal Crowe: If Aer Lingus is not committed to flying from Shannon between now and April, under what circumstances would it review that? I believe one can book flights from Shannon to Heathrow from 7 December onwards on the website. First, what does Aer Lingus need to happen? Second, what is Aer Lingus's intentions for its aircraft based in Shannon between now and the time they will be airborne again?

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

Cathal Crowe: Can Mr. Moody give commitments as to what will happen those aircraft? Are they to come back to Shannon, particularly transatlantic aircraft? Also, what can Mr. Moody say to the Shannon-based staff of his airline today in light of the April date he is now flagging?

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

Cathal Crowe: Would Mr. Moriarty consider a stopover facility in these months to ensure that he is satisfying the needs of a customer base in the mid-west and-or in Cork?

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

Cathal Crowe: My next question is for Mr. Wilson. We have heard his traffic light system argument. We have heard him talk about Ireland being an outlier. There are 28 European Union countries, four of which have a policy Ryanair likes, so 24 of them, including Ireland, have a policy Ryanair does not like. What circumstances does Mr. Wilson need to see a normal return and the reopening of Ryanair's...

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

Cathal Crowe: There are 24 regimes relating to orange and red countries. Mr. Wilson referenced four countries, namely, Spain, Italy, France and Germany. He likes the regime they have in treating red and orange countries but he does not agree with the other regimes, including Ireland.

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

Cathal Crowe: What would bring Ryanair back to Shannon? What circumstances does Mr. Wilson need to change?

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

Cathal Crowe: This has been a real blow to everyone with an interest in aviation. To follow up on the point made by our Chairman, in the week of the announcement of the traffic light system, Ryanair announced the winter closure of its Shannon and Cork bases. In the week the new regime begins, it will withdraw from flights. It is important it is said, and we heard it in the last comment, that this is...

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

Cathal Crowe: It is a question for both, Chairman.

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

Cathal Crowe: I just missed asking questions of our witness from Rome. Nonetheless, there are some very important questions I would like to ask. I would like to put a question to Ms Considine from Shannon Airport. As a Clare Deputy, I recognise that today's news is a huge blow to everyone in the airport. When did Ryanair and Aer Lingus communicate that they would not fly in and out of Shannon for a one...

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

Cathal Crowe: It seemed to pull back on some of that as the discussions went on and said it would review things around Christmas time. I know the Shannon Group will play its part for the region, but it is very important that full clarity is brought to bear in that regard, in particular in the case of Aer Lingus whose departure from flying out of Shannon seems further off than its counterpart, Ryanair. ...

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

Cathal Crowe: That is good. There is still huge uncertainty facing the sector. We have heard from the IAA yesterday and the airlines have come before the committee. They have all told us very honestly the flaws that they see in the traffic light system. As someone who is heading Shannon Airport, is there anything Ms Considine feels can be done in terms of new policy or otherwise to instill public...

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

Cathal Crowe: My last thing is more of a comment. Maybe Mr. Philips could respond briefly. He will not like what I have to say. I understand the north runway at Dublin Airport is scheduled for completion in early 2021. It is an awful lot of money to spend to increase Dublin Airport's dominance in the sector even further. I note that Mr. Philips, by his own figures, estimates that it will increase...

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

Cathal Crowe: In light of today's devastating announcements by Ryanair and Aer Lingus, I ask Ms Considine what will one see flying in and out of Shannon Airport, apart from cargo flights, between now and Christmas?

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

Cathal Crowe: Can Mr. MacCarthy say what is left at Cork Airport after today's announcement?

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

Cathal Crowe: Everyone is digesting today's announcement. Can Ms Considine state whether it has implications for the level of staffing with the Shannon Group? So far, the Shannon Group have had to take measures as an airport authority. We also know what Ryanair and Aer Lingus have had to do and the resistance with which that has been met by workers. Has the Shannon Group, on foot of what we have heard...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Cathal Crowe: I will ask a few quick questions but might interject thereafter if that is okay. Like others, I looked forward to the traffic light system being announced. Green routes are very clear in that people can fly to those destinations, although it is quite debatable as to which countries are on the list because of the current Covid-19 figures. There is far less certainty in regard to orange and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Cathal Crowe: We are an island nation. I lived in continental Europe for a year. People in Luxembourg, for example, may have to cross an international border several times a day for school or work. We depend on air and sea travel. Have there been similar crackdowns in border regions such as in Germany, where there is a high incidence rate while Luxembourg has a low one? Is there anything comparable...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Cathal Crowe: Beyond member states, what kind of dialogue is happening to restart aviation between the European Union and, say, the US, Canada or Australia?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Cathal Crowe: Therein lies the problem. There is no standardisation among member states in regard to orange and red routes. In a country such as Ireland that is geographically peripheral, and in a county such as Clare that is even more so, with Shannon Airport in our backyard, we will suffer unless there is uniformity. I turn to Mr. Brandon. Obviously, there are not as many aeroplanes in the sky....