Under the Irish aviation authority (amendment) Bill which is proposed to be published later this year, can I ask the Taoiseach about the Norwegian airlines and Cork Airport? Cork Airport is the second largest airport in the country and while there is much abhorrence and horror expressed about President-elect Trump's vision of building a wall, the administration preceding his in America has already built a wall in the skies which has prevented all transatlantic traffic coming into the second largest airport in this country. It is not for safety reasons. It is not for commercial reasons. It is purely on the basis of political reasons that it will not allow this to go ahead. I have been in contact on numerous occasions with Mr. Dan Katz, chief of staff in the office of the US Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Foxx. There is a political deadlock. Now that there is a new regime coming in America, would the Taoiseach be prepared to lead a delegation to Washington to ask that the politics be taken out of this and Norwegian airlines be allowed to build a route and a connection between Cork and Washington?

I would say an act of contrition would be required first.

I thank Deputy Jim Daly for his question. The Government supports this opportunity and potential for Norwegian airlines to be able to fly the Atlantic and land in Cork, with benefits for Shannon and, to a lesser extent, Knock. Obviously, it is something people would very much welcome.

This matter has been raised by Ministers over the past couple of years on many occasions. I myself had the opportunity to raise it directly with the President of the United States on two successive St. Patrick's week visits and following that, the American union of airline pilots, which, I understand, was blocking this for some time, lifted that blockage and stated it would be happy to go ahead provided that the pilots to be appointed were paid at European and American rates - there was a fear that it would be pilots from the Far East only who would be employed at lower rates.

To reply to Deputy Daly, I will be happy to continue to make a case for this as it would be of substantial benefit to the country.