asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he has now considered the report of Aer Rianta on the proposed scheduled air services from Cork and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Air Services.
My examination of the Aer Rianta report is not yet completed. The report, with my observations thereon, will in due course be submitted to the Government, and any statement in advance of this submission would be premature.
The Minister must be aware that there are a number of companies, certainly at least two, prepared to run scheduled services and that do not require any certificate at Cork airport.
Apart from the question of the profitability or practicability of services from Cork airport I, as Minister for Industry and Commerce, have functions in regard to public safety, and it is by no means certain that the facilities at present available at Cork airport would be adequate to permit of the operation of scheduled services.
Seeing that in the Estimates before us there is a sum of about £540,000 for Aviation and Meteorological Services, and that the people of Cork will have to pay their share of that, is it not about time that Cork would get some consideration?