Ivan Yates
Question:52 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if the Government has made a decision to approve a second terminal at Dublin Airport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29719/01]
Written Answers. - Air Services.
Question:
74 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Public Enterprise her policy on the provision of terminals at Dublin Airport by private sector interests; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29809/01]
Austin Deasy
Question:78 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Public Enterprise her plans to improve the infrastructure at airports to enable a company (details supplied) and other airlines to generate new business for the tourism industry. [29790/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 52, 74 and 78 together.
The House will be aware from replies which I have given to previous Dáil questions, that I have not adopted any particular ideological position on the concept of privately owned terminal facilities at Dublin Airport. There are a number of complex considerations both for and against that concept. Generally speaking, a competing second terminal has not been shown to be a viable proven concept elsewhere, but I stress again that I maintain an open mind on the matter.
There has been renewed interest recently in this concept as a result of the terrorist incidents in the US on 11 September and the direct impact of those incidents on the aviation and tourism sectors.
As Deputies will be aware, an interdepartmental group was established recently under the aegis of the Taoiseach's Department with a view to identifying possibilities for encouraging and generating additional travel by air, increasing the flow of tourists to Ireland and countering the adverse affects of the terrorist incidents in the US. The group includes representatives of my Department, the Department of Marine and Natural Resources, the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, the Department of Finance, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Attorney General's office.
As one might expect the group has been looking, inter alia, at the role and contribution of aviation policy, including airports, in countering the adverse effects of 11 September and boosting the flow of visitors to Ireland. The group has been looking among other things at the expanded incentive scheme for landing charges recently announced by Aer Rianta. It is also looking in a short-term context at the question of designating or constructing a specific low-cost facility within the existing terminal complex at Dublin Airport.
The interdepartmental group has recently produced an interim report, a copy of which was forwarded to me by the Taoiseach. The report incorporates suggestions for a range of possible measures to be implemented by Aer Rianta with a view to meeting the objectives of facilitating the maximum number of visitors to Ireland and ensuring that Irish airports are cost competitive and have appropriate infrastructure to meet the current and prospective needs of the airline industry. This includes the following elements: to develop a more aggressive drive to encourage growth in passenger numbers through pricing and market support strategies – this would include encouraging growth from current levels of existing routes; to procure the development of pier D by spring 2003 on the basis of existing planning permission as a low-cost facility targeting low-cost operators; to enter into appropriate arrangements for the management of pier D to ensure that it facilitates significant growth in throughput at Dublin Airport from low-cost operators; to manage the allocation of existing facilities in the interim to encourage growth in traffic by low cost carriers through appropriate capacity allocation plans at Dublin Airport; and to develop appropriate strategies to increase traffic through Shannon and Cork with a view to implementation by next year's tourism season.
The next step suggested in the interim report is for Aer Rianta to respond with an implementation strategy which takes account of the proposals in the report. In view of the serious effects on aviation and tourism of the recent events in the US, the Government attaches a great deal of importance to moving forward as quickly as possible with a positive and constructive approach to the elements of the strategy outlined in the interim report. In view of this, I have asked Aer Rianta to respond as a matter of urgency.
I should make clear to the House that the statutory mandate under which Aer Rianta is required to operate includes the requirement to operate on a fully commercial basis. I should also make clear the firm view that any new measures or facilities applicable to air carriers, developed as a means of promoting air travel and tourism, must be made available on a non-discriminatory basis to all airlines who seek to avail of such measures or facilities. The present position is that the Aer Rianta response is awaited.
The question of a fully fledged separate terminal competing with the Aer Rianta terminal at Dublin Airport has to be seen in a medium to longer-term context. This is more a complex concept and is likely to require the assistance of outside expertise, particularly in the economic and technical fields. Clearly, if such a concept were deemed to be feasible, it would involve several years from evaluation and definition of the concept through to design, planning and realisation.
I trust that the foregoing fully clarifies the current position for the House.