Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2001

Vol. 541 No. 2

Written Answers. - Dublin Airport.

Nora Owen

Ceist:

236 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the position regarding a second terminal in Dublin Airport; the procedures which will be followed if such a project is to proceed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21171/01]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke):

Given the dramatic impact of the recent terrorists attacks in the US on the global aviation industry, there is a range of urgent new priorities concerning the aviation sector which are being urgently addressed by the Government and by Governments throughout the world.

While the concept of a second, independent terminal at Dublin Airport to compete with Aer Rianta's terminal facilities is not new, it does not rank among the immediate priorities that must be addressed in the radically altered aviation environment in which we now find ourselves.

Nevertheless, as the Deputy is aware, I have not adopted any particular ideological position in relation to the concept of competing terminal facilities at Dublin Airport. There are a number of complex considerations both for and against that concept on which my Department has had consultancy advice on more than one occasion in recent years. Generally speaking, that advice did not confirm the value of a competing second terminal as a viable proven concept in practice, but I stress again that I maintain an open mind on the matter.

If the concept of a second terminal was to be endorsed either by this or any future Government, I have already stated on a number of occasions that it would call for an open and transparent process to determine who will provide the competing terminal. It would also be necessary to determine in advance the detailed operational, legal, regulatory and commercial interface with the wider operation at Dublin Airport.