Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I listened this morning to the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan, announcing a task force report for Shannon and my heart just sank. We have already had an aviation task force report on top of which we have had an excellent report by the all-party Committee on Transport and Communications Networks on the aviation crisis which had specific suggestions on Shannon. We have also had a review by the Minister’s own Department on Shannon which was announced last August. Yet we are here, in the teeth of the worst crisis in the aviation sector and certainly the worst crisis in Shannon’s history, where we have lost an Aer Lingus cabin crew base with 81 jobs just a couple weeks ago, and where 500 jobs are now at risk at Lufthansa Technik. The Minister’s response is to ask for another report. If this was not a serious matter I would ask did he think he was in an episode of “Father Ted” with Dougal turning to Ted to say: “Is anything to be said for another report?”

Some 12 months ago, a whole host of public representatives, including myself and Deputy Quinlivan, met with the Aer Lingus staff who were able to tell us how much their jobs are at risk. They asked for action from all of the public representatives there. Some 12 months into this Government all we have had by way of response is report after report and no action. Crucially, the most important ask of all this is to reintegrate Shannon into a new State airport authority, which was asked for in the report of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications Networks. This is just left to hang in mid-air.

I asked the Minister about that issue the last occasion he was in the Seanad and he ignored the question. We are watching a slow-motion car crash on Shannon Airport and the future of the airport literally disappear. We have a Minister who appears to be completely incapable of taking any positive actions whatsoever.

Shannon Airport supports 50,000 jobs across the mid-west region. Right now one can book a flight out of this country from Dublin but one cannot book any flight from Shannon and will not be able to book a flight after 19 July either because there are no flights scheduled. We have seen this happen for 12 months, we have spoken to the Aer Lingus and airport staff who are in complete despair at what is happening to their airport and we have a Minister who is incapable of taking any decisions whatsoever. Respectfully, if he is not capable of taking the action that is needed perhaps he should make way for someone else who can. Gabhaim buíochas.