Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

Some Senators opposite used dreadfully fogey-type language in that regard. Mention was made of the resignation of Mr. Robin Cook on matters relating to Iraq — this is hardly Iraq — and to Mr. Cosgrave's voting against his party on the matter of contraception, a matter on which he had strongly religious views. I am sure Mr. Cooney was not pleased about what happened but Mr. Cosgrave had his reasons for doing so. There is always room for opinion. We would be members of a supine Government party in this Chamber were we to nod our heads like pennies dropping into collection boxes. That does not make for good debate or for the expression of divergent views which will hopefully be absorbed, examined and commented upon. Coy I am not, nor do I intend to be. As stated last Sunday, I will be voting in favour of the legislation.

I welcome Mr. Paddy Campbell and Mr. John Lumsden from the Department of Transport. They are hard working officials who give their all to their Civil Service job. We do not speak often enough about the officials who accompany the Minister to a Chamber. It is important they are given their due recognition. I worked on many fruitful ideas with both gentlemen during my years in the Department.

As I said on Sunday, I believe the Bill is premature and rushed. It is premature because we will not have before us the business plans. If one does not get the business plans with the Bill, how then is one to judge whether the Bill will be fruitful and successful? One cannot do so. The business plans, we understand, will be produced by 30 April 2005, quite a time away. In the absence of well thought-out and worked-out business plans the Bill appears imperfect because it is simply putting in place boards, something which could have been done without the introduction of legislation. If this is the road the Government is taking, I would prefer the legislation to embody the business plans for particular regions. The joint Fianna Fáil-Progressive Democrats Programme for Government states: "We will ensure Shannon and Cork Airports have greater autonomy and independence." It is perfectly in order for them to have greater — it does not say full — independence and autonomy, which is exactly what could have happened without the legislation. I included this fact in our manifesto in a slightly different way. Local interests should have a great say in how an airport in a particular region is run. There was a need for the issue to be addressed and I thought the Fianna Fáil-PD clause in the manifesto was correct. The legislation is premature because there is no grand plan, and we will not have the grand plan until the end of April. The Minister for Finance has made it clear that, if the plan does not add up financially, there will be no further divergence down this road. The legislation is rushed and premature.

There was a proposal to take the Bill at 9 p.m. or 9.30 p.m. one night last week. I had no intention of agreeing to this, for which I had the backing of all Members of the Seanad. Legislation cannot be dealt with at 9.30 p.m. or 10 p.m. after people have been in and out of the Chamber since 10 a.m. It is a ridiculous idea. I did not agree to rush the legislation and I thank the two official spokespersons on transport for their input.

I heard the Minister being interviewed recently by Seán Ó Rourke on "News at One" when he said he had a hunch that if he could get the legislation through, his hunch would be borne out. Good legislation is not based on a hunch, no matter how well honed that hunch might be. I am just quoting what the Minister said.

I will refer to the imperfections in the legislation. A Senator who spoke earlier said Aer Rianta is a disaster, but I understand Senator Wilson disabused the Senator of that. How could it be a disaster when it has been set up for all of these years, it has never been a drain on the Government's finances and, increasingly in latter times, it has contributed to the country's financial wellbeing? It is not and was not a disaster. Rather than running down Aer Rianta, it should be repeated that it is a very fine commercial and satisfactory State company. Recently much spinning has taken place. The Minister referred in his speech to letters which were disclosed. All I know about this is what I read in the newspapers. If spinning is going on that Dublin Airport is a disaster zone and crowded, that is what airports are about. If one goes to an airport, one does not go for an oasis of calm, where one can sit down and perhaps have a nice conversation and afternoon tea. One goes to an airport to join a queue, get a ticket to get on a plane and leave for somewhere and, when one comes back, one hopes to get out of it as quickly as possible. The idea that Aer Rianta will be turned into a wonderful haven of tranquility as a result of a new board is nonsense. I notice the spinning is constantly saying it is a disaster area. Given that it caters for approximately 15 million or 16 million people, how could it be tranquil and sedate?

Senator Norris referred to the need for another airport. I believe Baldonnel would make an excellent facility.