Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 728: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of scheduled flights into Cork Airport for each quarter for the past five years; if he plans to introduce any incentives to increase passenger traffic into Cork Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22078/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Information in relation to the number of scheduled flights using Cork Airport on an annual basis for the past five years is included in the Dublin Airport Authority's (DAA) Annual Report, a copy of which is laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas each year and which is available in the Library of the Houses. The annual accounts are also available from www.daa.ie. With regard to the quarterly figures, these are an operational matter for the DAA. As such, this question has been referred directly to the DAA for reply to the Deputy. If a response has not been received within ten working days, please advise my private office. The Government's recent Jobs Initiative includes a number of measures to encourage inbound tourism, one of which is a new growth incentive scheme which was introduced by the DAA in recent months. This new growth incentive scheme is due to run for the period 2011-2014. Passenger service charges at the three State airports will be rebated to the airlines once the threshold of the previous year's traffic total has been surpassed at the airport in question. The rebates to airlines will be in line with their contribution to the overall growth at the airport. This scheme is in addition to a range of other incentive schemes on offer to airlines at the three State airports. I would encourage all airlines to avail of these generous incentive schemes.

Noel Harrington (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 729: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to introduce incentives or other measures to encourage the export by flight cargo of high-value perishable goods out of Cork Airport to the Near, Middle and Far East; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22099/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As measures to encourage flight cargo out of Cork Airport are the responsibility of the Cork Airport Authority, I have forwarded the question to the authority for direct reply to the Deputy. I ask the Deputy to contact my office if he has not received a reply within ten working days.