Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to the House. Like Senator Dooley, I welcome the Minister's contribution and her decision to seek a pilot on antigen testing. I agree with other speakers that this should have been done by NPHET as part of the review of the Ferguson report. Those of us who are members of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications recognise the importance of aviation and understand that a whole-of-government approach is needed. This is not just a matter for the Minister of State, although, to be fair, she gets it.

I am conscious of the debate we are having. Some of us are very passionate because we have been involved in this area since the outset and know people who are intimately affected at all levels of the aviation sector. The old Aer Lingus advertisement, "Look Up, It's Aer Lingus" is funny but not funny because there is no point looking up when there is nothing happening in the skies. As Senator Garvey rightly said, we need aviation. Connectivity is central. I do not want to be political but if we are going to have a debate, then let us have honesty in that debate. Senators who were in favour of locking up the country and hotel quarantine and saying that we did not go far enough cannot come in here today and wave the flag because there is political pressure on. Some of us have been working since last April to ensure there is a plan. A good plan was published last summer by the aviation recovery task force, of which former Senator, Pádraig Ó Céidigh, was a member. We need to see that plan activated and implemented.

The response is about a whole-of-industry approach. It is about Government, aviation, hospitality, aircraft leasing and so much more. If we want to rebuild our country, which we have to do and we are all committed to doing that, then central to that is aviation, be that in Cork, Kerry or Shannon in the case of Clare, Limerick or Galway, and Dublin as well. We must reposition our aviation sector, as otherwise the stalled position will remain. Our airports and airlines are central in that regard. The Minister of State in her contribution recognised and acknowledged the amount of money the Government has put into this sector. A recovery plan is critical, however, because the essence of where we are at as an aviation sector is that as we speak, airports and airlines around the world are negotiating. We are behind the eight ball. We must incentivise our airports and the Dublin Airport Authority to negotiate in order that we can attract new routes and have route development. If we do not, we will be in trouble, the 2022 to 2023 timeline will become 2025 to 2026, Killarney, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and so on will be affected and we will be back to square one.

The Government must respond. I do not know whether the Government understands that. I appreciate that the Minister of State understands that but I do not think her colleagues do. I really do not in some cases; I wish they would. I also do not think some in the Opposition understand. Those of us involved with airports and airlines in our areas do understand but some of our colleagues do not. This is about jobs. It is about people's livelihoods, connectivity for the country and getting hospitality tourism moving but it is also about foreign direct investment. To be fair, we should all acknowledge and thank the staff under the aegis of DAA for the sacrifices and job restructuring they have undergone. I regret the behaviour of some of the airlines in terms of the changing of work contracts and the termination of positions. I accept that in some cases they are losing a ton of money, but we are dealing with human beings here who have worked on behalf of the DAA, Aer Lingus, Ryanair, Lufthansa, Vueling and so on. Stobart Air has shown us the fragility of the aviation sector. Eight routes out of Cork Airport are gone. The supports must be guaranteed for 2022. Clarity is needed urgently in regard to the financial supports in order that deals can be done with other airlines and for route development.If we do not do that, we will miss the window.

Finally, I wish to raise the fact that credit card companies are treating travel agents in an absolutely appalling and unacceptable manner. Representatives from the Commission on Aviation Regulation are due to appear before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications in two weeks. The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy English, is well aware of this issue and has been working on it. It is disappointing to hear from travel agents that credit card companies are taking a very hard line and are demanding substantial cash security deposits from them. The agents do not have cash available to them at present. I ask the Government to look at that.

I appreciate the Minister of State's commitment and support. Our aviation sector is critical to the next phase of our post-pandemic recovery. Ours is an island nation and we must have connectivity for a variety of reasons. I thank the Minister of State for being here.