Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Finance the cost to the economy and to the Exchequer, both directly and indirectly, arising from the grounding of commercial airlines due to the preponderance of dangerous volcanic ash in the atmosphere; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17223/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I note that there have been a number of estimates put forward over the last week or so about the financial impact of the disruption to air travel caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland, but these have not yet been fully substantiated. The EU Transport Commissioner Mr Siim Kallas has this week suggested that the week-long disruption could have cost companies across Europe up to 2.5 billion euro. My understanding is that the Commissioner is continuing to work towards a final figure for the economic and financial impact of this unprecedented event and is also considering what can be done at EU level to help the aviation sector, which has been worst affected.