Regional air connectivity is vital for business and tourism on our island nation. The strategic Aer Lingus Heathrow route has returned to Shannon Airport on a temporary basis while the runway at Cork Airport is being refurbished. It is critical for business, tourism and regional development that the three return flights a day from Shannon to Heathrow are restored as soon as possible. I welcome the provision of €90 million in the recent budget to restore and underpin strategic routes. Will the Minister indicate to the House when he expects the Shannon-Heathrow route to return to three return flights a day, incorporating an early morning flight and a late evening flight, which are vital for business and tourism connectivity?

I agree with the Deputy about that route and others. For Shannon in particular, the connection to Heathrow is a vital part of connectivity for business and other interests in the region. I listened with interest to the radio this morning as various industry and university representatives spoke about how the region is still strong. The industrial estate in Shannon is still a really strong attractor of talent but that talent needs to be able to connect to other places. The Government included a significant package of supports for the aviation sector in the budget. The follow-on from that as to how Aer Lingus and others deploy their fleets is a matter for them. We do not run the airlines. I agree with the Deputy and expect that the supports that have been provided will see a return to more frequent services. I believe the Deputy said there were previously three services a day from Shannon to Heathrow. I would think that will be a very attractive prospect for the airline as well as the region.