Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Taking up from the previous speaker, we are about to invent a twin for SUSI this afternoon, called ReBo. I hope the two of them get on well and perhaps they could make one another more efficient than they are now.

I welcome the Government's announcement yesterday of the separation of Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority. Passenger numbers at Shannon Airport have dropped by 61% from a peak of 3.6 million. It is necessary for it to become a low cost airport to attract low cost airlines in order to develop the region and Irish tourism in general. The future of Cork Airport should be examined in the same context. The 41% increase in airport charges at Dublin Airport ordered on completion of Terminal 2 has been bad for tourism and for access to Ireland. We need to rebrand all the airports so that airlines will want to use them to bring more visitors into the country. The 41% increase in charges should not have been allowed to stand. The Minister, Deputy Varadkar, has said he does not want to repeal it. In my view, it has to be undone in order to make Ireland an attractive place once again for tourism and tourists.