Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, has failed to progress the legislation required to allow for the construction of a second runway at Dublin Airport. The issue has been raised by my colleague, Deputy Robert Troy, in the Dáil by way of parliamentary question in the past 13 months but no progress has been made. Deputy Robert Troy has been told consistently that the legislation is imminent, yet the Minister does not seem to know whether primary legislation or a statutory instrument is required to transpose the EU regulation. Today we learned from a senior figure in the airline industry that the delay apparently was in the Office of the Attorney General, which has yet to sign off on a statutory instrument. This seems to be the second time the Office of the Attorney General has been used as an excuse for the Government's failure to implement legislation. We know that the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill has been held up conveniently in the Office of the Attorney General. It is also strange, given that the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has its own legal section. Why has the issue not been dealt with by that section. It is a disgrace that in the wake of Brexit and for the purpose of achieving economic growth the second runway has not been constructed. It is vital for the development of the city and its surrounds. The Minister has failed us again and should be called to the House to explain exactly how he proposes to allow the legislation to be brought before the House to enable the construction of the second runway to proceed.

The second issue I wish to raise concerns the report of the Committee of Public Accounts which was published yesterday. I call on the Minister for Justice and Equality to attend the House to explain how he will act on the recommendations made in the report. Serious concerns about the Department of Justice and Equality's oversight of An Garda Síochána were raised. The Department has presided over serious financial and governance irregularities in the force in recent years. The report is also sceptical about the Department's lack of awareness of the irregularities in Templemore. The Minister needs to commence an internal review, not just of An Garda Síochána but also of his Department, especially of the reporting structures between it and An Garda Síochána. It is not enough to just note the contents of the report. The Committee of Public Accounts has raised serious questions in its report and action is needed now by the Minister.