Joint Committee on Transport and Communications to meet with Commission for Aviation Regulation and Shannon Chamber

The meeting at 12.30pm in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House will be split into two sessions and will later hear from Shannon Chamber in relation to supports for regional air connectivity, including routes at Shannon Airport.

Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Kieran O’Donnell said: “These engagements are part of the Committee’s ongoing work on the impact of Covid-19 on the aviation and travel industries. The Irish Travel Agents Association previously raised with the Committee the issue of merchant service providers requesting cash security deposits from travel agents during the pandemic, when they could not trade. ITAA argues that as travel agents are licenced and bonded by the Commission on Aviation Regulation, they present no financial risk to their merchant service providers. The Committee looks forward to discussing this issue and related matters with the Commission.

“Members then look forward to meeting with Shannon Chamber to discuss supports for regional airport connectivity, including for routes out of Shannon Airport and restoring critical connections to Britain, Europe and the United States that serve the south, mid-west and west of Ireland. Shannon Chamber, in collaboration with the Irish Hotels Federation, has outlined a number of multi-annual funding support options for Shannon Airport to ensure vital air connectivity which it believes are needed to support business and tourism across the region and the Committee wishes to discuss these further.”

The Joint Committee on Transport and Communications has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

The meeting in Committee Room 2 can be viewed live on Oireachtas.ie.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.