Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 81: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her most recent contacts with an airline (details supplied) regarding the possible location of up to 300 aircraft maintenance jobs at Dublin Airport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11366/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My most recent contacts with Ryanair were a meeting I had with its CEO Mr Michael O'Leary on Tuesday 16 February, followed by a letter I wrote to Mr O'Leary on 18 February and letters I received from him on 19 February and 25 February. Mr O'Leary also responded on 19 February to a letter of 18 February from Shannon Development, one of the agencies under the aegis of my Department, which offered Ryanair the opportunity to consider locating aircraft maintenance operations in Shannon if it were not satisfied with the options on offer at Dublin Airport.

At the time that SR Technics announced that it was withdrawing from maintenance operations in Dublin Airport, I, as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, stressed to all parties that I would very much welcome if the buildings and machinery used in the SRT operation could remain available for the carrying out of maintenance operations. This appeared the best way of securing jobs for ex-SRT workers and maintaining industrial employment, of the type promoted by my Department and its agencies, at Dublin Airport.

With this in mind, a process to hear and consider expressions of interest from any parties interested in continuing maintenance operations at the site was put in place and operated by IDA and Enterprise Ireland. A number of developments have since occurred. Dublin Aerospace has commenced operations, with 70 initial employees recruited, to operate a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility. The company expects the number of jobs to grow to 226. The Garage business unit of SR Technics has been taken over by the M50 Truck and Van Centre who were successful in securing the airside vehicle maintenance contract from SR Technics. Aer Lingus has decided to undertake, with the transfer of a number of employees, line maintenance operations previously contracted to SRT.

Ryanair's interest in carrying out heavy maintenance operations, initially aiming to employ 500 and more recently 300, was always based on a proposal to carry out this work in Hangar 6, which it regarded as the only suitable building among the six hangars for maintenance of this type. As matters progressed, I was informed by the DAA, Aer Lingus and the Department of Transport that Hangar 6 continued to be occupied by maintenance operations carried out on Aer Lingus aircraft, that Aer Lingus continued to hold legal rights to have its maintenance carried out in this hangar, and that Aer Lingus had indicated that it wished to continue to avail of this. This position has been reiterated recently and the Government has received legal advice that there is no legal means by which either the Government or the DAA can secure Hangar 6 for the Ryanair project in circumstances where Aer Lingus continues to exercise its legal rights to remain in the Hangar.

In my recent exchanges with Ryanair I have emphasised that the Government remains anxious, in any way that is open to it, to facilitate Ryanair to deliver its proposal on 300 jobs. This can still be facilitated through existing Hangar space in Dublin Airport, or through an entirely new Hangar at Dublin or Shannon Airports built to Ryanair's requirements. Temporary facilities are if appropriate available in a short time-scale in Dublin or Shannon to facilitate maintenance operations while more permanent accommodation is being finalised. Mr O'Leary has, however, also confirmed that he is only interested in establishing a maintenance facility in Hangar 6 in Dublin.