Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thought the Senator said she was against the cap. I think it needs to be looked at. In any event, that will be a matter for people at higher levels of office than us. There is huge capacity in the regional airports. If even a fraction of the passenger numbers was to be redistributed to them, it would mean a lot of jobs and opportunities in those airports.

The journey of Shannon Airport began 60 years ago. The large cluster of multinational companies located at the airport has leveraged having an airport there. The same opportunities exist for Waterford and Knock to leverage having an airport. However, the right Government support and policies are needed to do so. Regional airports funding has been made available on an annual basis. This is hugely important for Ireland West Airport Knock and it is very welcome every year. We need to look at increasing the criterion on passenger numbers for that funding scheme because once an airport hits 1 million passengers it no longer qualifies for regional airport funding. That figure needs to increase because we do not want to restrict the growth of our airports.

At this stage, the chances of having a debate on aviation policy are quite slim. I will make the request again but we probably only have a matter of weeks or a week to follow through in terms of debates. With the Social Welfare Bill and Finance Bill yet to be completed, legislation will take priority over statements. That is a requirement of the Houses.

Senator Cummins also raised issues about Uisce Éireann. I face similar challenges with water pressure in Mayo. The Senator is right that the issue prevents showers from working, so it is a huge problem. It was good to see the €3 billion from the AIB sale is being partially directed to Uisce Éireann to assist with capital works. It will not get everything done but it is a big boost, with more than €1 billion going into Uisce Éireann. That will go a long way towards solving some of the issues. It will take the best part of ten years or more to fix all of the difficulties with our water infrastructure.

Senator Murphy congratulated Lisa O'Rourke and others competing at the under-23 European championships and made a call for more support for the further education and training centre in Roscommon town because works have stopped there. I know this is a big issue in the area. The facility is much needed and investment is necessary. I suggest the Senator table a Commencement matter to get further information about what exactly is happening with the project. He is right to say the Government is very supportive of it. It would be good to get some details on the timeframe for the project.

Senator Maria Byrne raised the issue of Shannon Airport. I support her position on anonymity on social media. Social media causes a lot of problems. There is always the counter argument that in some countries if one was to put one's name to a tweet or a post, the consequences could be very severe, and often it is a way to communicate. However, on balance, when we look at the detrimental impact of nameless, faceless accounts and the damage they can do to individuals, companies and the political process, we are only at the beginning of our journey in dealing with the online space and the impact it is having. This is a very serious conversation we need to have. Coimisiún na Meán will have a big role to play in all of this and working at a European level with other member states will also be a factor. It is not just an Irish problem and it is one we have to tackle head on.

Senator Cassells asked for an update on the immigrant investor programme. I concur with Senators Cassells and Byrne. I thought it was a rushed decision to close down the scheme. Perhaps there were challenges but it was bringing in significant funds that were being redistributed to worthy causes. I am dealing with a number of applicants for whom I am trying to get information. It seems to be very difficult to find out when applications will be finalised and moneys paid out. Even though the scheme was closed, a number of successful applications had already been made. They are already in the system and there is money to be redistributed. However, it seems to be very difficult to get information from the Department as to when that might happen. It is very frustrating for clubs that are awaiting this finance. It was a good news story when they got it but it has not yet been paid out. We will make the request but I know that many colleagues, up the line, have asked the question of Ministers and still have not been able to get an answer. I do not really understand why.

Senator Malcolm Byrne spoke about the importance of local radio and paid tribute to broadcaster Michael Reade. I concur with the Senator's remarks in that regard. Local radio is important for all of us for reporting on politics, local sporting events and local issues that would not get covered on national radio. In many rural areas, the local radio station is on in the house more so than national radio stations. In Mayo, Midwest Radio is on in most kitchens, as opposed to RTÉ. It is important to support local radio.

I concur with the Senator's remarks on cybersecurity. I dealt with that matter in response to Senator Craughwell as well.