Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 May 2024
50. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an outline of the spending in aviation in his Department to date and during 2024; to provide an account of any overspend or underspend noted by his Department in this Government programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24241/24]
View answerI thank the Deputy for his question and for the subsequent clarification provided. Over the period 2020-2023, Exchequer supports totalling almost €222 million were provided to Irish airports under the Aviation Programme within my Department's VOTE. A further €21 million was provided to support Public Service Obligation (PSO) air services.
As requested, this funding is set out below by spending head under Table 1 – Funding to Irish Airports 2020-2023 and Table 2 – Funding on PSO Air Services 2020-2023.
Table 1- Funding to Irish Airports 2020-2023
|
AIRPORT |
SCHEME |
2020 €m |
2021 €m |
2022 €m |
2023 €m |
Total €m |
|
Donegal |
CAPEX |
- |
€0.149 |
€0.043 |
€0.361 |
€0.553 |
|
|
PPR-C |
€0.245 |
€0.583 |
€0.608 |
€0.104 |
€1.540 |
|
|
PPR-O |
€0.581 |
€0.461 |
€0.638 |
€0.722 |
€2.402 |
|
|
COVID Supplementary Support Scheme |
|
€0.258 |
|
|
€0.258 |
|
Donegal Total |
|
€0.826 |
€1.451 |
€1.289 |
€1.187 |
€4.753 |
|
Kerry |
CAPEX |
€0.097 |
€0.720 |
€0.184 |
€0.294 |
€1.295 |
|
|
PPR-C |
€1.058 |
€2.067 |
€0.893 |
€0.030 |
€4.048 |
|
|
PPR-O |
€1.500 |
€1.298 |
€1.434 |
€1.423 |
€5.655 |
|
|
COVID Supplementary Support Scheme |
|
€1.798 |
|
|
€1.798 |
|
Kerry Total |
|
€2.655 |
€5.883 |
€2.511 |
€1.747 |
€12.796 |
|
Ireland West |
CAPEX |
€0.553 |
€1.725 |
€1.242 |
€1.790 |
€5.310 |
|
|
PPR-C |
€0.330 |
€0.448 |
€1.082 |
€2.796 |
€4.656 |
|
|
PPR-O |
€1.354 |
€1.018 |
€1.788 |
€1.869 |
€6.029 |
|
|
COVID Supplementary Support Scheme |
|
€2.806 |
|
|
€2.806 |
|
Ireland West Total |
|
€2.237 |
€5.997 |
€4.112 |
€6.455 |
€18.801 |
|
Waterford |
CAPEX |
|
|
|
|
€0.000 |
|
|
PPR-C |
|
|
|
|
€0.000 |
|
|
PPR-O |
|
|
|
|
€0.000 |
|
|
Emergency Subvention |
€0.375 |
|
|
|
€0.375 |
|
Waterford Total |
|
€0.375 |
€0 |
€0 |
€0 |
€0.375 |
|
Cork |
CAPEX |
|
€10.000 |
€3.382 |
€1.370 |
€14.752 |
|
|
PPR-C |
|
€0.000 |
€0.675 |
|
€0.675 |
|
|
PPR-O |
|
€6.690 |
€10.403 |
|
€17.093 |
|
|
COVID Supplementary Support Scheme |
|
€8.379 |
|
|
€8.379 |
|
Cork Total |
|
€0 |
€25.069 |
€14.460 |
€1.370 |
€40.899 |
|
Shannon |
Emergency Capital Supports |
€0 |
€5.350 |
€1.127 |
|
€0.304 |
|
|
CAPEX |
|
€2.907 |
€2.931 |
€4.708 |
€10.546 |
|
|
PPR-C |
|
€3.161 |
€0.744 |
€0.665 |
€4.570 |
|
|
PPR-O |
|
€5.527 |
€6.837 |
€7.206 |
€19.570 |
|
|
COVID Supplementary Support Scheme |
|
€5.494 |
|
|
€5.494 |
|
Shannon Total |
|
€0 |
€22.439 |
€11.639 |
€12.579 |
€46.959 |
|
Dublin |
COVID Supplementary Support Scheme |
|
€97.240 |
|
|
€97.240 |
|
Dublin Airport |
|
€0 |
€97.240 |
€0.000 |
€0.000 |
€97.240 |
|
TOTAL |
|
€6.396 |
€158.079 |
€34.011 |
€23.338 |
€221.823 |
Table 2 – Funding on PSO Air Services 2020-2023
|
PSO AIR SERVICE |
2020 €m |
2021 €m |
2022 €m |
2023 €m |
TOTAL €m |
|
Donegal/Dublin |
€3.999 |
€2.367 |
€5.229 |
€3.990 |
€15.585 |
|
Kerry/Dublin |
€3.308 |
€0.811 |
€0.944 |
|
€5.063 |
|
TOTAL |
€7.307 |
€3.178 |
€6.173 |
€3.990 |
€20.648 |
Regarding funding to regional airports in 2024, to date, capital funding allocations of €5.6 million have been announced for Donegal, Kerry and Ireland West airports. In line with previous years, additional funding allocations may be announced from within the 2024 budget before years end.
In relation to your question on overspends and underspends, firstly I wish to advise the Deputy that in relation to operational funding to regional airports, spending is generally in line with budgetary resources. Following an assessment of applications from regional airports each year, funding is allocated in line with forecast expenditure. Depending on budgetary resources in any given year, up to 100% of eligible non-economic payroll and operational costs at airports in the areas of Air Traffic control (ATC), safety and security are supported. Funding is then reconciled against airports’ actual operational costs as set out in audited financial statements as part of the following years application assessment. The following years allocations are then adjusted to account for any overcompensation, if applicable.
Regarding capital investment in regional airports, funding allocations are determined following an assessment of capital grant proposals put forward by eligible airports in Q1 each year. Allocations are based on project cost estimates put forward at the time of application. Grant aid is then drawn down by airports, on a recoupment basis, following the completion of projects. In some cases, small savings are realised resulting in savings under the Aviation Programme. However, in relation to project overspends, in accordance with the conditions set out under Grant Agreement with airports, it is a requirement that any project overrun is met from the airport’s own resources and not funded by the Exchequer.
At a higher level relating to overall Aviation Programme spend within my Department’s Vote, capital savings may be realised in any given year. In some cases, project delays, due to supply change issues for example, may arise resulting in projects not completing in the funding year. In other instances, the overall available budget under the Aviation Programme in any given year may exceed the cost of all eligible projects approved for funding. Where this occurs, sanction may be sought from the Department of Public Enterprise NDP Delivery and Reform, and approved by Government, for the deferred surrender of this Aviation Programme budget into the following year, thereby reducing the demand on the Exchequer in the following year.
As is the case with all Voted expenditure, the detail of this is published in the Appropriation Account for each funding year.
