Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 July 2024
51. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Transport if his Department has plans for further regional airport development after 2024; if it is likely that Shannon will receive further funding in this or similar schemes from 2025 onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28517/24]
View answerAs an island nation, aviation plays a crucial role in our economy and society. The National Aviation Policy (“NAP”) published in August 2015, established a policy framework for the development of the aviation sector. The NAP was designed to create an environment that would encourage the sector to enhance Ireland's connectivity, to foster the growth of aviation enterprise and to maximise the contribution of aviation to Ireland's sustainable economic growth and development.
In line with the action points under the NAP on regional airports, regional airports are supported under a Regional Airports Programme. The current Programme for the period 2021-2025 continues to support Ireland’s smallest airports, those that provide scheduled passenger services and handle fewer than one million passengers per annum. In addition to targeting funding at safety and security projects and activities, the scope of the Programme was expanded to encourage airports to reduce emissions and build climate resilience. A PSO air service between Donegal and Dublin is also supported under the Programme providing vital connectivity to the people and businesses in the North-West region.
I am pleased to see that Ireland has established good connectivity via our regional airports with the UK, Europe and America. The targeted Exchequer funding to this sector has supported this connectivity, with overall passenger traffic across Irish regional airports in 2023 9% above 2019 levels (the last comparable period prior to COVID-19). I am also encouraged by the strong growth experienced to date this year, with passenger traffic to end May again 9% higher when compared to the same period last year.
That said, to consider how Exchequer funding to this sector is delivering on its objectives, primarily in the context of how international connectivity and services to and from the regions can be maintained and enhanced, a mid-term review of the Regional Airports Programme was undertaken in 2023. My Department carried out a public consultation last year to inform this review, which was finalised in late December.
In relation to Shannon Airport, both Shannon and Cork regional State airports are expected to operate on a commercial basis without recourse to Exchequer funding. However, given that these regional State airports were supported under a one-year COVID-19 Regional State Airports Programme in 2021, and temporarily became eligible for supports under the Regional Airports Programme due to supressed passenger numbers during the pandemic (until 2023 for Shannon) the mid-term review also gave consideration to expanding the scope of the Programme to regional airports that handle greater than one million passengers per annum.
While the primary focus of the review was on the performance of the Programme to date, recommendations and proposed actions on foot of this review may contribute to the development of policy on future appropriate and cost-effective support measures for regional airports in Ireland, including the development of any future Programme beyond 2025.
Although having just recently taken up my role at the Department, I can assure the Deputy that I anticipate reaching a conclusion on this review very shortly.
