Derek McDowell (Labour)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 7, subsection (1), line 31 and 32, to delete ", after the Dublin appointed day,".

These amendments relate to the appointed days for the airport authorities and propose to make the establishment of the Dublin appointed day subject to the consent mechanism of the two Ministers that already applies to the Cork and Shannon appointed days. These amendments would also have implications in the way business is done. It is implicit from the amendments that the Dublin appointed day will be later than I expect the Minister intends it will be. The Labour Party would like the strategic direction of the companies to be clear before any of the companies are established and to reduce the length of the interim when Dublin is acting as big brother to the other two companies.

In anticipation of the Minister rejecting the amendments, will he set out in some detail when he anticipates making the order for the Dublin appointed day? How long does he anticipate the interim will be?