Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I second the motion and welcome the opportunity to discuss not just the immediate issue of security, but the ongoing problem of the failure of the Government to act since its commitment in 2002 to build a second terminal.

I am astonished at the brass neck of the Government, with no intervention on the part of the Minister for Transport, I hope, in tabling the amendment before us. The amendment deletes the Opposition motion and goes on to state that the House "welcomes the Government's efforts to ensure the timely provision of additional terminal capacity at Dublin Airport on an efficient, cost-effective basis". Timely? This has gone on since 2002. The former Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, was "days from a decision" before he was ousted and sent to the Department of Social and Family Affairs. At least he was prepared to make a decision on this issue. Why has no decision been reached? This has nothing to do with the terminal. This is about the failure of the Government to produce a viable strategy for Aer Lingus. That is the problem.

There are two separate issues the Government and specifically, the Taoiseach, have intertwined. The Taoiseach is trying to strike a deal with both sets of unions to keep them on side in order to ensure that there are no industrial relations problems in the run-up to the general election. Senator Morrissey is aware of this and has made eloquent statements on the matter outside the House. It is inevitable that Aer Lingus will be part-privatised and there will be a spat over that. The payback for the unions in the Dublin Airport Authority will be to allow the authority to build and run a new terminal. This is where the problem lies and this explains why the Government has not made the decision that was promised in 2001.

Who suffers as a result of the side deal between the unions and the Taoiseach? I suspect the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, has no say in the matter and is looking on from the side lines in frustration, chipping in as he goes along. The Minister has no real say on this because it will be decided in the Taoiseach's office. The people who are losing out because of the inertia of the Government are consumers. The fact that we do not have a second terminal up and running, leaving aside the daily mess that is Dublin Airport, is dreadful. An operational terminal could entice more operators into the market, achieve lower prices for consumers and attract more tourists into the country to spend money. Consumers are losing out as a result of the failure of the Government to act.

Dublin Airport is reeling, as everyone knows. It is a mess. That is clear to anyone who goes through the airport, whether on a weekly or monthly basis. It is a catastrophe waiting to happen. The lack of space for the travelling public is appalling, with 17 million people using the airport annually. There is a complete failure to deliver quality customer services. Until recently, one had to pay for a trolley. Imagine passengers from Manchester or London arriving in Dublin Airport with sterling in their pockets and being told that they need a euro coin to obtain a trolley. Thankfully, that has changed recently. The way in which people are fleeced for a cup of tea, coffee or a sandwich in the airport ——