Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am well aware of that.

I ask the Deputy Leader of the House to consider arranging a debate on airports, with a particular focus on Ireland West Airport Knock. The airport provides a tremendous service to the west and north west. Last year, it had 733,951 passengers, which is an increase of about 7%. The airport has been a phenomenal success. It is a credit to Monsignor James Horan and the one and only Charles J. Haughey who opened the airport and supported it in every way possible. We are very proud of our links to the airport and wish it to be developed more.

I invite the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, to visit Ireland West Airport Knock so that he can see the great progress that has been made. An application has been made for overlay and the rehabilitation of the main runway at Ireland West Airport Knock. The project will cost between €12 million and €13 million. At the moment, the airport can only receive 75% grant from the Government. The European Union will allow an application to increase the grant to 90%, which would be more economic from the point of view of viability and the work of the airport.

Furthermore, in light of Brexit and the fact that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union in March 2019 with the possibility of a transition period of a further two years. Brexit may pose difficulties but there is an opportunity to form of an export hub from the west and north west of Ireland straight to mainland Germany, for instance, to an airport like Baden-Baden, thus allowing very high value light goods to be exported to the region.

Brexit is also an opportunity to invite British companies or companies in the United Kingdom to come to Ireland, particularly Roscommon-east Galway, to establish satellite plants that would serve mainland European Union countries via the Republic of Ireland. IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland should actively canvass for people to come here to the Republic to avail of 500 million customers in mainland Europe. Ireland could provide a subsidised service with very low rents or rates on buildings. I make that appeal today and I am actively pursuing the matter.