Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of Norwegian Air International, NAI, and the long-running debacle that has been the attempt to get transatlantic flights into Cork Airport. It is very important for the second city that we have a transatlantic airport and direct flights from Cork to the US. During the week, NAI announced that it had booked slots from March onwards and was proposing to put in place a price structure of as low as €100, which is very competitive.

The main issue for us is licensing. I welcome the Taoiseach's statement during the week that he was putting pressure on US authorities to get the issue sorted. It is important that this open air licensing agreement be enforced. Due to political issues in the US, we will probably not have an agreement until after the election, but it is important that we keep the matter on the agenda as one of the key drivers for tourism, particularly in the southern region. It would provide us with great connectivity, which I hope would help the tourism industry in the country's south to develop. I would like to think that, after the election, we will have the opportunity to discuss with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade how we can work with him, and what pressure our Chamber can apply, to deliver these important transatlantic flights for Cork.