Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister. I have absolute confidence that he is committed to all the State airports to ensure they are able to develop.

I had the pleasure in the past fortnight of travelling three times to and from Shannon and a fourth time from Dublin. If people realised what a pleasurable experience it is going through Cork and Shannon airports — obviously if it is a transatlantic flight one is talking about Shannon — in comparison with struggling with long security queues, long distance car parks and the like in Dublin, the traffic would grow even faster.

I assume a little of the growth of traffic in Shannon has to do with the throughput of GIs. I spoke to some of them who were stopping over for an hour and a half on their way to Kuwait and Baghdad. I have never had any problem with that traffic and I am glad we are able to assist in conformity with the United Nations resolution of June 2004 to facilitate the multinational force in the establishment of democracy in Iraq.

The reason we are having this debate is that the impression was given that Dublin Airport, being infinitely the strongest of the three airports, would take care of the debt for the other airports. I did not appreciate the way the chief executive in Dublin spoke out almost in defiance of previous Government policy. I am in favour of chief executives making measured contributions to public debate. If they have difficulties with decisions that have been taken they have many channels of communication with the Government but it is not a satisfactory spectacle, whether one is talking about debts of Shannon and Cork airports or the Great Southern Hotels, to fairly trenchantly lay down a position in public without much caring whether it is consistent with Government policy. The Minister who has just left will remember that recently at a south-east region chamber of commerce meeting, the chief executive of another State body was quizzed about the question of a university for the south east. Very properly, he played somewhat to touch on that given the state of formulation of Government policy on that area. I do not believe that was a satisfactory approach by the other chief executive.

The Government is fortunately in a very strong financial position. My estimate, on the basis of the Exchequer returns, is that there will be a comfortable surplus this year instead of a significant deficit. When all is said and done, assets realised and so on, if it is necessary for the Government to assist in putting Cork and Shannon airports on the right footing, it should not hesitate to do that. I was one of those who on balance was in favour of splitting the three airports because traffic growth had been occurring in a lopsided manner and there had been a shift in the balance, particularly away from Shannon towards Dublin. There had to be a way of levelling the playing field and I had the impression, for a time anyway, that Dublin was the big player and that was what Aer Rianta was mostly interested in developing.

There are great possibilities for Shannon and Cork airports because they offer a much more pleasant experience. I was very pleased to see in Shannon Airport the morning I travelled out that there were about six or seven flights crossing the Atlantic to various destinations in North America. That is the way it should be.

Picking up on what Senator O'Toole said, there is a nice new dual carriageway into Shannon Airport, which was still being built this time last year. That is a very welcome development but the rail link into Shannon is also necessary. On one of my journeys I did not have the car and I got the bus into Limerick and then waited for a train to Limerick Junction. As Members know, I am quite a user of public transport; I like to see how it is operated and experience using it.

I look forward to the day when Shannon is served by a direct link, as Ennis is currently served. This should be part of the equation of Government decisions on this subject.