Ownership of a proposed new terminal at Dublin airport was not the issue involved, Tánaiste Mary Harney insisted yesterday.
She said Minister for Transport Martin Cullen was to bring a memorandum to Cabinet after Easter on the project.
Ms Harney was challenged by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny to say if there was division within the Cabinet on the proposed terminal.
Mr Kenny said the front pages of some of the morning newspapers had stated that the Progressive Democrats would not stand for the second terminal being built and managed by the Dublin Airport Authority.
"Does the Tánaiste share my view that the ownership is not the significant issue; that what is important is the element of competition, the location and future capacity of the second terminal?"
Ms Harney said the only issues which were important were capacity and competition.
"I share Deputy Kenny's view that ownership of such a facility is not the issue, but rather competition which will drive efficiency for consumers and capacity so that the long delays experienced by passengers may be eliminated."
Mr Kenny said Mr Cullen was reported to have given the Cabinet advice that it would be better for the Dublin Airport Authority to build and manage a second terminal.
"How may that be reconciled with the requirement to have competition which would be in the best interests of the aviation industry and the consumer?" he added.
He wondered if they were to face another summer away from action by the Government, which had promised a decision on the matter as a specific part of its programme three years ago.
Earlier, Mr Kenny said that in 2002, 15 million passengers had used Dublin airport.
"That figure rose to 18 million passengers by the end of last year.
"It is estimated that in 10 years' time 30 million passengers will want to use Dublin airport."
He added that the Tánaiste was aware that, especially during the summer months, millions of passengers had to put up with congestion, delay and overcrowding.
"I recently heard Mr Robin Cook, the former British foreign secretary, say that Dublin airport is the only airport in the world in which he had to queue to get out," Mr Kenny added.
He said that in March 2003 the former minister had received 13 expressions of interest in building a new terminal.
"However, three years on there has been no movement.
"In the meantime we have witnessed the debacle of how the Aer Lingus situation was handled.
"The then chief executive has been lost to British Airways.
"The Government always appears to be one more report away from action."
Ms Harney said the Government had given a commitment in the Programme for Government to examine the feasibility of an additional terminal at the airport.
"The deputy has confirmed that there were 13 expressions of interest in respect of that new terminal," said Ms Harney.
"The Minister briefed his Cabinet colleagues about aviation matters, but no decision was sought from the Government and no decision was made.
"The Government is to revert to this matter again shortly."
