Cork TD Deirdre Clune has confirmed that Fine Gael will today ask the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey, to explain to the Dáil what steps he will take to address the Airport work stoppage and the perception that Ireland can be closed down by a single industrial dispute involving a small number of workers.

Today’s four hour stoppage by air traffic controllers will close down Irish Airports. As a result of the stoppage 16 flights will be cancelled in Cork Airport alone. It will also have a knock on effect on flights later in the day and thousands of innocent passengers using Cork Airport will be held ransom because of an industrial dispute and this is unacceptable.

Air traffic controllers provide an essential service that this island nation is totally dependent on. It is not acceptable that Irish Airports can be closed down and we can be cut off from the outside world by a single industrial dispute.

A strike such as this will do untold damage to our already fragile economy and the global perception of Ireland. The message being sent out is that Ireland is closed for business.

Fine Gael will today raise this issue in the Dáil. I hope that the Minister for Transport Minister Noel Dempsey takes the opportunity to outline to the Dáil and the public what the Government will do to address the problem, prevent it happening again and counter the perception that Ireland is not a good country to do business in.