John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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123. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the soaring cost of air freight and the immediate negative effect being experienced by exporters in getting their goods to the markets and the threat to exporting companies and businesses of the loss of valuable contracts; if direct financial support will be offered to companies and businesses experiencing difficulty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1700/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic there has been a decrease in air cargo capacity linked to the reduction in passenger services. A substantial share of air cargo was previously transported in the belly hold of such passenger aircraft. The loss of that capacity means that there a likelihood of increasing upward pressure on air cargo rates.

Direct financial support has already ready been made available to all sectors of the economy, through the State supports established as a result of COVID-19. Officials in my Department continue to engage on a daily basis with our airlines, airports, regulators and all relevant stakeholders to seek to alleviate the severe impact that the COVID-19 crisis is having on the sector and its capability to continue to support essential cargo and passenger movements.