Vol. 237 Tuesday, No. 1 20 January 2015 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SEANAD ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Insert Date Here 20/01/2015A00100Business of Seanad 2 20/01/2015A00300Commencement Matters 3 20/01/2015A00400Regional Airports 3 20/01/2015D00200Health Services Provision �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6 20/01/2015G00600Medical Card Eligibility 9 20/01/2015J00125Courts Service 12 20/01/2015O00100Order of Business 14 20/01/2015DD00150HSE National Service Plan 2015: Statements 30 SEANAD ÉIREANN Dé Máirt, 20 Eanáir 2015 Tuesday, 20 January 2015 Chuaigh an Cathaoirleach i gceannas ar 230 pm Machnamh agus Paidir. Reflection and Prayer. 20/01/2015A00100Business of Seanad 20/01/2015A00200An Cathaoirleach: I have received notice from Senator David Cullinane that, on the mo- tion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to state if he is aware that the airline carrier Flybe is withdrawing from Waterford Airport, to outline the Government’s commitment to the regional airport and to detail all past and planned State funding for the airport, including to extend the runway to accommodate larger aircraft I have also received notice from Senator Thomas Byrne of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health and the HSE to fund the provision of eculizumab or Soliris medication for patients urgently in need of it I have also received notice from Senator John Whelan of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health, to best address a patient’s extremely rare PNH blood condition, to instruct the HSE to provide for her the necessary eculizumab medication treatment (details supplied), similar to that being made available to others affected by this blood disorder and as prescribed by her medical team at St James’s Hospital I have also received notice from Senator Fidelma Healy Eames of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the plans, proposed facili- ties and rationale for the site choice for the new school arising from the amalgamation of Mercy secondary school and Presentation secondary school in Galway city I have also received notice from Senator Colm Burke of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Health to review the current procedure for providing medi- cal cards for those with Huntington’s disease in view of the fact that only 700 people in the country suffer from this medical condition 2 20 January 2015 I have also received notice from Senator Ivana Bacik of the following matter: The need for the Minister for Justice and Equality to inform the House whether mater- nity, adoptive and parental leave are available for members of the Judiciary I regard the matters raised by the Senators as suitable for discussion I have selected the matters raised by Senators David Cullinane, Thomas Byrne, John Whelan, Colm Burke and Ivana Bacik and they will be taken now I suggest Senators Thomas Byrne and John Whelan share time as their matters are on the same topic Senator Fidelma Healy Eames may give no- tice on another day of the matter she wishes to raise 20/01/2015A00300Commencement Matters 20/01/2015A00400Regional Airports 20/01/2015A00500An Cathaoirleach: On the first matter, I welcome the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe 20/01/2015B00100Senator David Cullinane: It is nice to be making history today with the first Commence- ment matter I welcome the new changes I also welcome the Minister, Deputy Paschal Dono- hoe We were going to discuss this issue before Christmas, but the Minister had other arrange- ments on the day I tabled the motion I thank him for coming to the House to discuss it on our first day back I support regional airports because they are very important for local and regional econo- mies, especially in the south east Waterford Airport which serves the entire south-east region, not just Waterford, is important for business, enterprise, tourism and the economy generally in the south east It has been providing air transport services for the region for the past 30 years It currently provides a number of scheduled services The Minister will be aware that Flybe is withdrawing all of its services in the first quarter of this year This will create a difficulty for the management and the board of the airport They are actively seeking alternative carriers Waterford Airport is a base for search and rescue operations The Irish Coast Guard’s Sikor- sky S92 which is based at the airport provides emergency rescue cover for the entire south and east of Ireland, including medical evacuation, 24 hours a day, seven days a week The airport also has an aero club with between 80 and 100 members Obviously, corporate jets use the air- port for the purposes of doing business with enterprise in the region Genzyme, Sanofi, Audi, NuVasive and West Pharma are among the companies that have used the airport for these pur- poses It is a hugely important regional airport for the south east Passenger traffic at the airport for the full calendar year of 2014 increased by 179% by com- parison with the 2013 figure This shows that the airport is serving its catchment area There is certainly potential at the airport and people want to use it I met representatives of the airport’s management, including its chief executive officer and its general manager, last week They are very grateful for the operational expenditure subvention they receive from the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the capital expenditure subvention they also get They have 3 Seanad Éireann not received any capital expenditure investment for infrastructural development since 2007 Everybody accepts that we are in straitened times Everybody accepts that the capital fund- ing of all sorts of project was put on hold and frozen because of the economic situation in which we found ourselves In 2007, a previous Minister for Transport promised under Transport 21 that €223 million would be provided for the airport This funding was to be used to extend the runway to 2,300 m, which would allow much bigger aircraft to use the airport I think the airport accepts that such an extension is not possible at this time It has, therefore, opted for a slimmed-down version I understand it has received planning permission for an extension of up to 350 m That will make it somewhat easier for the airport to get alternative carriers with different types of aircraft to use the airport Can the Minister remind us of what funding has gone into the airport from the State? Can he give us his own views on regional airports and Waterford Airport, in particular? Is he aware of the issues with scheduled services at the airport that I have mentioned? What level of funding, if any, is he prepared to put in place at the airport? 20/01/2015B00200Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (Deputy Paschal Donohoe): I thank the Senator for raising this difficult issue I am pleased to be here for the first execution of the new Commencement debate in the Seanad If we had dealt with this matter under the previous system on the date the Senator had hoped to have such a discussion, I think the debate would have happened at 3 am or 4 am This is a better way for the him and me to handle the matter 20/01/2015B00300Senator David Cullinane: Hear, hear 20/01/2015B00400Deputy Paschal Donohoe: The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has been informed by Waterford Airport that Flybe will be withdrawing its services with effect from the end of March 2015 Flybe is the only commercial operator using the airport It operates services on the Manchester and Birmingham routes It is understood the withdrawal of Flybe services is not limited to Waterford Airport, as at least four other European airports are similarly affected This withdrawal comes at a particularly unfortunate time for Waterford Airport The load factors on the two Flybe routes have seen a significant improvement last year with passen- ger numbers up almost 18% compared to 2013 Therefore, the news of the withdrawal of these services was most unexpected for the airport Plans to address the reduction of services or introduce new routes are entirely commercial in nature and matters for the board and management at the airport Therefore, I do not have a role in such matters However, I understand that the airport is moving to identify a replacement carrier to continue the routes after March next year I am aware of the challenges facing the airport arising from these developments in addition to Aer Arann, now Stobart Air, withdrawing its London-Luton route in 2013 In recognition of Waterford Airport’s contribution to balanced regional development, the Exchequer has provided support for the airport under the regional airports programme 2011- 14, through the CAPEX and OPEX schemes The OPEX scheme which deals with operating expenditure provides compensation for subventible losses; in other words, the