Seanad report: The second stage of the State Airports Bill, which will create independent companies to run the airports at Dublin, Cork and Shannon, was passed in the Seanad by 28 votes to 16 last night.
Speaking at the end of the debate on the Bill, the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, said the Bill was not based on a hunch that he had come up with. The Cabinet had, on three separate occasions, decided to proceed on a strategic basis with the proposals that were before the Seanad. The reality was that Cork and Shannon would turn into the most successful airports that this country had ever seen.
He said the legislation was not rushed, because it was over a year ago since Government policy in this regard had been announced.
Mr Brennan said he would not leave on the record of the House any suggestion of shadowy figures being involved. He worked only for the people of this country. His motivation was simple: he wanted more passengers for Cork and Shannon airports.
Earlier, the leader of the Seanad, Ms Mary O'Rourke, said that nothing the Minister for Transport had said had ever given her any indication as to why there was a compelling need to pass the State Airports Bill.
She had heard Mr Brennan saying that he had a hunch - that if he could get the legislation through, his hunch would be borne out. "Well, I don't think that good legislation is based on a hunch, no matter how well honed that hunch may be."
Ms O'Rourke repeated her view that the proposed legislation was premature and was being rushed. It was premature because they were not getting the business plans with it, she said. So how could they judge if the measure would be successful? The new boards to be set up to give Cork and Shannon airports greater autonomy could have been put in place without the need for legislation.
The Bill was also premature because there was not a grand plan, and it would not be available until next April.
Aer Rianta was a very fine, commercially satisfactory State company, she said. There had been a great deal of spinning of late. The Minister had spoken of the leaking of a letter. It was being spun that Dublin airport was a disaster zone and was over-crowded. Well, that was what airports were about, as far as she was concerned. The idea that with a new board it would be turned into a haven of tranquillity was a nonsense.
She said she worried that there might be "shadowy people", of whom they did not know, who were providing the sort of background that was painting the picture of Dublin airport being a disaster area.
She could not discover who or what was behind the Bill. Her fear was that, as it was stated quite clearly that the Government could no longer give any subsidy to Shannon, that airport would fall prey to other forces who would seek to use it for their own commercial ends.
At the end of the debate, Ms O'Rourke voted with the Government, as she had announced that she would do.