Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 May 2005

Vol. 602 No. 1

Leaders’ Questions.

Mr. Kenny

The hallmark of this Government appears to be paralysis, incompetence and lack of responsibility. Every day that passes, it becomes more apparent that the Cabinet has an inability to make decisions and to accept responsibility for decisions. Nobody has accepted responsibility for the nursing homes debacle with a price tag of €2 billion. Nobody accepted responsibility for spending €60 million of public money on electronic voting. Nobody accepted responsibility for road cost overruns that now reach €4 billion.

On the issue of the future of the national airline, Aer Lingus, and the question of a second terminal, the Government appears to be in a state of total paralysis. One former Minister with responsibility for this area, Senator O'Rourke, recognised the need for more capacity as far back as 1999. An Agreed Programme for Government promised a second terminal. Another former Minister, Deputy Brennan, promised a decision would be taken in early 2003. We have listened ad nauseam to the current Minister, Deputy Cullen, saying a decision will be taken shortly. No decision has been taken about access to capital for Aer Lingus. This is the situation day after day. The Taoiseach commented on his very good working relationship with the Tánaiste. While this may well be so, the Minister for Transport and the Tánaiste obviously disagree in public about issues coming before the Cabinet.

The Taoiseach uses another section of Dublin Airport when he is travelling on official business. He will be aware that up to 18 million passengers will shuffle their way through the airport this year. The House is now informed the solution will be terminal three. Will the Taoiseach for once state that the Cabinet will make the decision, stand by it and get on with it?

Mr. McHugh

The Taoiseach is watching the north Dublin vote.

Mr. Kenny

The public, business, travellers and the future of the country are in many ways dependent on the outcome. What is the position regarding access to capital for Aer Lingus and the Cabinet decision in respect of a second terminal?

The Taoiseach

The Deputy mentioned a number of areas. I will deal with the issue of roads before coming to the other two. At least the Government is building roads. Before we came to office, others talked about them and did nothing about them.

Mr. Sargent

Whose money is the Government using?

The Taoiseach

Whether it is the bypasses of Portlaoise, Balbriggan, Cavan, Arklow, Donegal, Callan, Nenagh, Blackpool or wherever, we are building roads. We will spend €1.5 billion on main national roads this year. We had a time when we had no overruns because we did not spend anything at all on them, which was a good way of doing it.

Mr. Kenny

What about the terminal at Dublin Airport and Aer Lingus?

An Ceann Comhairle

Allow the Taoiseach to speak.

Mr. Allen

The Taoiseach is not answering the question.

The Taoiseach

That was the first part of the Deputy's question. On the second part of his question, Deputy Kenny would like to make sure and would like me to stand up and make sure that when we reach 20 million passengers going through Dublin Airport, not alone will we have pier D but we will also have a second terminal to cater for them. The answer is yes, we will.

His third question is about making a strategic decision on the capital injection for Aer Lingus. We made that decision last Christmas. The members of the Cabinet sub-committee stated that it was our belief that we should make an injection of capital in the circumstances of the new chief executive and the present chairman of the board. We have discussed that issue with them and when they need to make a move on that we will move. However, it is the Government's position that an equity injection of capital is necessary. The percentage is still a matter of some debate. On the timing, the chairman of the board believes it is not needed now, but the Government's position is that we are in favour of that.

Mr. Kenny

The Taoiseach has been very glib in his response in saying yes, we will have a second terminal at Dublin Airport. As leader of the Government, can the Taoiseach outline the position regarding the second terminal? Is it to be owned and operated by the Dublin Airport Authority? Is it to be put out for public tender on a free-for-all basis? Will the Taoiseach accommodate the wishes of the Progressive Democrats and the Tánaiste in particular in respect of competition and capacity? For the past two years his Ministers have repeated this will happen. However, Irish business and the public have the right to know when the Government will make a decision on the matter. In respect of the Taoiseach's comment on Aer Lingus, is he talking about State equity to be invested in the national airline? I ask the Taoiseach to answer those questions clearly so that people will have no further confusion as to where the Government stands.

The Taoiseach

At present Dublin Airport has capacity for 20 million passengers and is at 17 million now. It needs pier D by 2007.

Mr. S. Ryan

The former Minister for Public Enterprise, Senator O'Rourke, stopped that three years ago.

The Taoiseach

I opened the terminal, to which the Deputy refers, about three years ago

Mr. S. Ryan

That was not pier D.

An Ceann Comhairle

Allow the Taoiseach to speak without interruption.

Mr. S. Ryan

The Taoiseach does not have his facts right.

An Ceann Comhairle

This is Deputy Kenny's question. Deputy Seán Ryan is not even a member of the Fine Gael Party.

The Taoiseach

As I said pier D is required in 2007. An additional terminal is required in 2009. The Government will give all the details of how we feel that should be properly and efficiently accomplished. The main point is that we have a second terminal that will be an efficient terminal and allow the growth of Dublin Airport to develop, which has happened successfully under the Government. We will do that in plenty of time.

Mr. Allen

It happened despite the present Government.

The Taoiseach

On the question of equity for Aer Lingus, we made it clear at Christmas that we believe private equity should be allowed into Aer Lingus. The percentage of that will obviously depend on discussions involving the board. However, the Government is in favour of private equity going into Aer Lingus.

Mr. McCormack

Who won?