Brendan Daly (Fianna Fail)

It is early days to have a broad, critical discussion on the future of the three airports. They were set up a couple of years ago and have not yet got down to business. We are debating this matter on a day when Shannon Airport was awarded a prize for being one of the best airports in Ireland. Dramatic figures indicate Dublin Airport will have to erect tents on top of car parks to accommodate people over the summer season. We should not be so negative and critical of something that has not yet established itself.

There was always the view in Shannon that the airport was dominated by Dublin and that Aer Rianta looked after Dublin first and then Shannon and Cork. Shannon Airport's facilities were not utilised to the full extent because Dublin Airport dominated, denying Shannon the opportunity to expand and develop as it would have done if it had an autonomous board. I had reservations about breaking up the central authority with a common till, which is a better way of managing the airports. The competition arising from breaking up the airport authority will not help matters and may, in fact, create more difficulties.

On the other hand, some felt that Shannon Airport needed an autonomous board to undertake the work necessary to provide more facilities and attract more airlines. There was underlying anxiety about what would result from the open skies policy and what would happen to Aer Lingus and workers at Shannon. The chambers of commerce, local commentators and politicians in the region believed the airport would be better served by an autonomous management board with State airport status. The Minister's predecessor made it clear that these three airports would remain State airports.