asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the progress which has been made towards getting his British counterpart to agree to direct flights by Ryanair from Cork Airport to Luton.

Subsequent to the adoption by the EC Council of Ministers of the air transport package on 7 December last, the UK authorities agreed on 8 December to a request made by my Department that Ryanair be permitted to operate direct services from Cork to Luton in advance of the implementation on 1 January next of the air transport package. The first direct flight from Luton to Cork was made by Ryanair on the morning of 10 December.