The Shannon Airport Group has welcomed the announcement of 7.1m in funding from the Department of Transport for Shannon Airport under the Regional Airports Programme. Minister of State announced over 11m in Exchequer funding for Shannon, Donegal, Kerry and...
The Shannon Airport Group has welcomed the announcement of 7.1m in funding from the Department of Transport for Shannon Airport under the Regional Airports Programme.
Minister of State announced over 11m in Exchequer funding for Shannon, Donegal, Kerry and Ireland West (Knock) airports earmarked for salary increases in air traffic control, fire services and security.
Mary Considine, CEO of the Shannon Airport Group, said the investment demonstrates the government's commitment to supporting the region's connectivity and the broader economic benefits its brings to the region.
Funding from the Regional Airports Programme supported Shannon Airport's safety and security operational costs in 2023.
Considine added that the the programme had been invaluable in supporting Shannon Airport's efforts to grow connectivity, which she said was vital to the business and leisure industries in the west of Ireland.
"We are proud of what we have been able to achieve so far. We know that if Shannon Airport were included permanently in the Regional Airports Programme, we can achieve even more for the people of our region while supporting the governments ambition to achieve balanced regional development," she added.
A mid-term review of the Regional Airports Programme, looking at how the programme is delivering on its objectives of supporting balanced regional development and how international connectivity and services can be maintained and enhanced, is nearing completion.
The latest round of funding represents a 4.5% increase on last year's allocation to the airports and is in addition to the 16.6m in capital supports announced earlier this year.
"Irelands connectivity to the rest of the world is essential for our continued economic development, attracting and sustaining foreign direct investment, facilitating tourism while also keeping us connected with friends and family abroad," said Minister of State at the Department of Transport Jack Chambers.
Shannon Airport has been awarded 7.1m by the airport.
"With this in mind, I am delighted to see that with these Exchequer supports, overall passenger traffic at regional airports up to end October this year has shown a 9% increase, when compared to the same period in 2019."
A report from Oxford Economics, published in November, found that Shannon Airport contributes nearly 4bn and more than 20,000 jobs to the economy. The airport welcomed 121,000 passengers over Christmas, the highest number since 2009.
Photo: (l-r) Mary Considine; Neil McCullough from Oxford Economics; andJack Chambers TD. (Pic: Arthur Ellis)