Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move:

“That Seanad Éireann: acknowledges that: - the Shannon Group supports over 46,000 jobs and contributes €1.1 billion in tax revenue to the exchequer;

- the importance of the Shannon Group to the Midwest region to maintain jobs and to continue economic development of the region, as well as to the national economy;

- the need to ensure the continued survival of international air travel from the Midwest region;

- that regional balanced economic development must be central to Government planning;

and calls on the Government to:

- commit fully to the survival and development of the Shannon Group and maintain its many international travel routes; and

- commit to the re-integration of Shannon Group under the remit of State control within the DAA in order to ensure collective leverage is attained in order to secure vital routes to London Heathrow and the East Coast of the United States of America"

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. It is nice to see the Minister of State back again and she is very welcome. It is important to start by acknowledging that the whole aviation sector is in deep crisis as a result of Covid-19. Indeed it is a topic that has been regularly and rightly raised from every side of this House. It is essential that the Government responds to ensure that connectivity, so crucial to this island nation, is protected as far as possible now and also for the post Covid-19 future. Since the onset of this pandemic Sinn Féin has been advocating for testing facilities to be installed in our ports of entry, and additional measures to be introduced such as temperature screening of arriving passengers. Unfortunately, neither has been put in place to date by the Government.

At the beginning of June, speaking at the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee, our spokesperson on transport, Deputy Darren O’Rourke, floated the idea of Ireland developing a traffic light system for international travel. Regrettably, the Government did not proceed down this avenue and instead introduced a green list system which did not help the aviation sector and was mired in mixed messaging from the get go. As the House is aware, there are now moves towards a standardised approach across the EU but at the Committee on Transport and Communications Networks last week we again highlighted that due to Government inaction on testing in our airports, we may not be able to fully participate in this new system.

We are very anxious to see the Government respond very positively not just to the new EU system but to ensure that we have adequate testing facilities ready to roll as soon as that system, hopefully, is ready in the coming week or so. We will continue to press the Government on these issues in a constructive manner.

This motion, as the Minister of State is aware, is specific to Shannon Airport but I also want to give a nod to Cork Airport before I get into the meat of this motion.