Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As he is aware, during the Easter recess a Ryanair flight from Paris was diverted to Prestwick in Scotland because of a bomb scare. The diversion of the aeroplane made sense as it was escorted to the airport by RAF fighter jets, and the British Prime Minister was notified of the event. The aeroplane landed safely, but what happened afterwards was mind-boggling, as passengers and cabin crew were left on the aircraft for two hours. If the Minister of State were on an aircraft and received word — God forbid — that a suspected bomb was on the aircraft and an emergency landing was being made, he would naturally be terrified.

On the aircraft in question there were students from St. Leo's College, a secondary school in Carlow. No doubt the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Parlon, who is present, may also have had some constituents on the aircraft, as many students from Laoighis-Offaly go to that school.

The aeroplane landed safely. The obvious action to take would then be to evacuate the plane, including the cabin crew and staff. My brother-in-law happens to be an Aer Lingus captain, so it is worth noting that the cabin crew was also put at risk in this instance. The passengers and crew could have been escorted to a secure building and perhaps questioned. Instead they were left on the aircraft for two and a half hours, which makes no sense to anyone considering the situation. I know the pilots involved are very concerned and I believe an investigation is under way. I spoke to parents who were frantic with worry. They were all set to collect their children from the school trip. Then they heard the aircraft was being diverted and that there was a suspected bomb on board. The children aboard were not allowed to text their relations, although some managed to send a few texts.

The basic point is that people were left on the aircraft for two and a half hours after it landed. I am aware of a similar incident involving an Aer Arann flight in the same week or the following week but the incident I refer to must be raised by the Minister of State with his British counterpart. He or she needs to be asked why people were left on the aircraft for two and a half hours after they landed safely.

Let us imagine if there had been a bomb on the aeroplane and if it had exploded an hour after the safe landing. We would all be asking why the aircraft had not been evacuated. Have we learned anything from the 9/11 attack where, unfortunately, thousands of people paid with their lives when the second tower was not evacuated as should have happened after the first attack? I understand a message went to those in the second tower to stay there, although it was intended to evacuate the building. If people had been evacuated from the second tower, their lives and those of many others would have been saved.

This is a serious issue which I intend to pursue further. I implore the Minister of State or the Minister for Transport, Deputy Cullen, to raise the matter directly with their British counterparts and find out why people were not evacuated from the aeroplane and brought to a secure unit where they could be questioned and allowed to telephone their relations and friends at home. Their experience was quite terrifying.

I commend the teachers involved who had to cope with their own fears while looking after the 70 students involved. It is mind-boggling to leave someone on an aeroplane in that situation after a safe landing. I look forward to the reply of the Minister of State. Questions should also be asked of his British counterparts about the questioning procedure employed. As far as I know, the students were questioned, although many were under the age of 16. I am not a legal expert but I think the law requires that either a guardian or a legal representative must be present before a minor can be questioned. That does not appear to have happened, which is a separate issue.

My question is simple. Why, when the aeroplane landed safely, were passengers and crew left on the craft with a suspected bomb on board for over two hours?