Brendan Ryan (Labour)

The Government made an unequivocal commitment in this House and in other places that Cork Airport would be debt free. It is now talking about lumbering it with a debt which in order to be paid off in a reasonable period would impose extra charges of approximately €10 per passenger at the airport. This is a decision over which the present board had no say but it is now being lumbered with a debt over which it has no control. If the Government does this, the directors will have no option but to resign because they would otherwise be guilty of reckless trading. It is sleight of hand to force the privatisation of Cork Airport. It is dishonourable and characterised by amnesia.

I will not refer much to other recent incidences of amnesia. We know what they are. However, there seems to be an epidemic of it in the country.