Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is the season, I suppose.

In recent days, we have once again seen fairly chaotic scenes at Dublin Airport. It seems that we are discussing more regularly situations at the airport that are having an adverse impact on staff and travellers. We are an island nation and we rely heavily on our airports and aviation infrastructure daily. At this time of the year, many journeys are made in and out of the country, particularly as people return home for Christmas.

No one is suggesting that we cannot be met with unique or adverse weather events, but I have not heard a word from the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about what he did with the airport in the lead up to and following these adverse weather conditions. One would have expected a Green Party Minister to be conscious of the impacts of adverse climate conditions on our society. We need to hear from the Minister about what action he has taken and intends to take regarding the airport to ensure that people are able to travel as freely as possible. No one is expecting or calling for miracles, but we have all travelled around the world enough to know that, in places like Canada, the temperature can drop to below -20 oC but people can still get flights. One would have expected that the airport, under the leadership of the Minister, would have been able to ensure the same by now. There is a danger of people being left to flounder. That would be unfair and unjust at any time of the year, but as we approach Christmas, its unfairness would be particularly felt by those impacted.

I appreciate that now is a difficult time to try to have statements on this issue, but the situation warrants it. It cannot go on like this. We all know Einstein's definition of madness, that being, doing the same thing time and again and expecting different results. We cannot just keep coming into this Chamber, nor can colleagues in the other Chamber, and saying that there is another situation impacting travellers through the airport. Something needs to be done quickly. We know when winter comes. We also know that, given the impact of the climate emergency, there will be other adverse weather events. We need to plan for those appropriately and ensure that people have the most streamlined and best way possible to fly into and out of this island. As difficult and tight as it might be, it is important that we try to have statements with the Minister before we break for Christmas and hear what action he intends to take.