Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me raise this matter of importance. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Ross, to the House. I raise the important issue of Cork Airport and the link with the United States of America. As the Cathaoirleach is well aware, last year Cork City Council, Cork County Council and the tourism bodies lent support to the publication earlier this year of the Growing Tourism in Cork strategy. Central to that is the importance of Cork Airport and the need to see it connected with routes to North America. Last year, 2015, was a good one for Cork Airport which saw the opening of 12 new routes and improved passenger numbers. With the EU-US Open Skies agreement, now is the opportune time to have a transatlantic link between Cork and North America. Norwegian Airlines stepped in and offered to provide a service between Cork and Boston, and prior to the dissolution of the Dáil and the general election, ongoing efforts were made at Government and EU level to have this link established. However, there is an impasse on the American side.The European Commission's Director General for Mobility and Transport was in Washington recently negotiating and pleading with the US authorities regarding the need to have this transatlantic link established.

I commend the Minister, Deputy Ross, for his earlier comments on this very important issue. It is economically important for job creation, tourism and increasing footfall into Cork and the wider Munster region, but it also concerns the EU-US Open Skies agreement. It is meant to stimulate the sector and see passenger numbers and travel eased and more options available to people as passengers. We have a carrier in Norwegian Air International that is willing to provide this link, and the US cannot be allowed for whatever reason to pick and choose or engage in selectivism in how it allows for airlines or carriers to be involved.

I am conscious of the time and appreciative of the fact that I am raising this matter as Leader of the House, but it is a very important economic matter. It concerns the granting of a licence. It is about ensuring that the people in the area where I live and where the Cathaoirleach lives have that choice and that we can continue to grow the numbers in Cork Airport. To be fair to the staff in Cork Airport, they have been putting together a submission based on the creation of jobs and new routes. In a week when the Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, visits Ireland, would it not have been opportune for the Vice President perhaps to have been here as part of the new transatlantic route out of Cork? I hope that we can raise the matter with Vice President Biden during the course of his visit.