Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Tá an cás seo iontach tábhachtach.

On Galway Airport, I hope a matter I submitted for discussion on the Adjournment tomorrow will be given favourable consideration. I am willing to share time in any such discussion. When the Seanad debated operational expenditure, OPEX, grants for airports I expressed my concern to the Minister for Transport that a cut in the grant to Galway Airport would place it in a difficult position. The subsequent decision to reduce the grant, which I would like to discuss with the Minister, may have caused some of the current difficulties at the airport, including the departure of the chief executive before Christmas. The airport's woes have gone from bad to worse. Workers have been subject to questionable treatment and had to engage in a sit-in to have their redundancy rights confirmed. I understand the Department has already paid redundancy moneys to Galway Airport.

We need to ascertain what the Government will do to address this issue. If we are serious about regional development and job creation in Galway and the west, we must have an airport in the region. Will the Government preside over a policy that will result in the closure of Galway Airport? That would not be good enough for people in Galway or the west. Ba mhaith linn go mbéadh an t-Aire istigh anseo le go mbeimís in ann é sin a phlé leis.