Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Before I commence, I welcome some guests in the Gallery, namely, Seamus McGarry of the Irish Cultural Centre in London, his wife, Annette, and their friends, the Rev. Odette Lockwood-Stewart and the Rev. Jim Lockwood-Stewart from the American Church in Paris.

The first issue I raise today relates to the already visible crisis we will face in September in the shortfall in student accommodation units. I understand that 17,000 units are required and that we will not be able to cater for our own domestic students. Many large-scale units were built in the past few years by taking advantage of certain tax breaks and less-strict planning guidelines whereby parking was not required to be provided. It is unfortunate that domestic students are being priced out of these units. Prices in or around €1,000 to €1,400 per month are being sought to rent a single unit, which is disgraceful. Our own students are not now in a position to attend college in Dublin as the prices are simply too high. I call on the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to attend the House to debate this matter.

The second matter I raise relates to the Ryanair strike action. Despite last minute talks to stave off industrial action, the strikes have gone ahead. It is unfortunate as up to 5,000 passengers will be affected. The airline has had to cancel up to 30 flights. I call on the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to suggest gently that talks resume and to ask the airline and the pilots' association to be pragmatic and ensure we see business as usual. Ryanair is a very successful company and it has managed to reduce the cost of flights. It has made travel a great deal more accessible and we are all very proud of it as an Irish company. It has made a huge mark on the world stage. I worked in Ryanair for a very short period and can say that, despite reports, it is not the worst place to work. In fact, it is a very fair place to work and I enjoyed my short time there. Its safety record is second to none. From an aviation success perspective, we must ensure the airline has the support of the Government, especially the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, and the encouragement to ensure the strike is averted so that business can recommence as usual.