[PR] €86m in grants for regional airports

Victor · 22-02-2007 7:02am #1

http://www.rte.ie/business/2007/0221/airports.html

€86m in grants for regional airports
Wednesday, 21 February 2007 13:16
The Government has announced capital grants totalling €86m for the country's six regional airports.

Under the programme of investment, Ireland West Airport at Knock will receive €27m, including €17m for a major aircraft parking area and terminal building extension.

Kerry Airport will receive €17.7m, while Waterford Airport will receive €22.3m, Donegal will receive €3.8m, Sligo is to get €8.5m and Galway €6.3m.

AdvertisementMaking the announcement, the Minister for Transport said the funding 'would be sufficient to encourage the airports concerned to achieve the ambitious targets that they have set for themselves and accordingly, to enhance their contribution to the regions they serve'.

Minister Cullen also confirmed that he met Fianna Fail backbench TDs this morning in relation to the debt of Cork Airport. Mr Cullen briefed them on his position and said that it was still possible for Cork Airport to be debt free if it wished to be.

The Minister said that the government parties are at one on the issue, and there has been no change in the Government's position.

On the industrial relations problems at Shannon Airport, the Minister said he was frustrated that a conclusion had not been reached in the discussions facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission.

He said the Government welcomed this morning's comments by both sides that if there were to be substantive engagement between them, the issue could be addressed. However, he added, there are serious issues facing Shannon Airport.

Victor · 22-02-2007 7:05am

http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=8851&lang=ENG&loc=2126

Cullen announces €86 million capital grants package for the regional airports
21 February 2007

Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen TD, today (Wednesday 21 February 2007) together with his colleague Minister of State, Pat the Cope Gallagher, announced that the Government has given approval for capital grants amounting to €86 million for the country's six regional airports from within the €100 million earmarked for these airports under Transport 21, the Government's investment programme for transport. The regional airports in Ireland are: Ireland West Airport Knock; Kerry Airport; Waterford South East Regional Airport; Donegal Airport, Sligo Airport and Galway Airport.

Speaking today, Minister Cullen said: "This unprecedented level of investment reflects the Government's conviction that the regional airports have a key role to play in facilitating balanced regional development. Transport 21 is all about building better links to bring communities together and to ensure that the benefits of our national prosperity are shared throughout the island. This grant aid will substantially boost the ability of the regional airports and contribute to that process by attracting inward investment and generating additional tourism business."

The Minister's announcement today refers to a new capital grants scheme launched by his Department in mid 2006.

The beneficiaries under the scheme are:

* Ireland West Airport Knock is to receive €27 million, including €17 million for a major apron (aircraft parking area) and terminal building extension. The airport has a 2,300-metre runway and a proven track record. The decision recognises the airport's key strategic importance to the west and northwest.
* Kerry Airport is to receive almost €17.7 million. Included in this sum is a maximum amount of €13.1 million for terminal and related facilities to cater for a substantial projected increase in tourist business, especially short break traffic, in this tourism region.
* Waterford South East Regional Airport is to receive €22.3 million, that includes €13 million for a runway extension and widening, and other improvements. This investment will address one of the key infrastructure deficits in the southeast region.
* Donegal, Sligo and Galway regional airports are to receive €3.8 million, €8.5 million and €6.3 million respectively for projects aimed at providing enhanced levels of safety and security, including in the case of Sligo, an essential runway end safety project. Included in Galway Airport's €6.3 million allocation is the sum of €3.5 million for developmental works.

Minister Cullen said: "The injection of funds I am announcing today gives the regional airports a new lease of life and tackles head-on some of the infrastructural obstacles to their further development. These airports operate in a very competitive environment and I know that implementing the investment programme and achieving the projected increase in business will be a major challenge for them. However, the Government is very encouraged by the spirit of enterprise in a sector, which has seen passenger traffic almost treble between 2000 and 2006".

Minister of State for Transport, Pat the Cope Gallagher said: "We look forward confidently to a network of regional airports substantially better equipped to serve the needs of their catchment areas on a safe and sustainable basis in the years ahead."

dowlingm · 22-02-2007 9:13pm

Given the environmental objections to the SXL eastern extension, might this be a doubtful project?

Slice · 23-02-2007 12:14pm

The regional airports are a waste of money that could be better spent on other transport infrastructure for the regions in my opinion. Their purpose is to make up for poor infrastructure yet the money they cost could be better used to address this poor infrastructure instead of this costly means of addressing the symptoms of poor infrastructure. Of course very few people in the regions would be found agreeing with this opinion since obviously to have an airport is a big thing - even if most of these airports aren't serviced by any public transport connections and so are pretty useless to the casual traveller.

1huge1 · 23-02-2007 1:09pm

I find that true for the most part slice except Knock its really doing quiet well

Bards · 23-02-2007 2:11pm

Slice wrote:

The regional airports are a waste of money that could be better spent on other transport infrastructure for the regions in my opinion. Their purpose is to make up for poor infrastructure yet the money they cost could be better used to address this poor infrastructure instead of this costly means of addressing the symptoms of poor infrastructure. Of course very few people in the regions would be found agreeing with this opinion since obviously to have an airport is a big thing - even if most of these airports aren't serviced by any public transport connections and so are pretty useless to the casual traveller.

and in your vision everything should be centred on Dublin and not a penny spent anywhere else

We need Spatial Planning and Regional Development to spread the load and create a counter balance that is Dublin.

Zoney · 23-02-2007 3:38pm

Bards wrote:

and in your vision everything should be centred on Dublin and not a penny spent anywhere else

We need Spatial Planning and Regional Development to spread the load and create a counter balance that is Dublin.

I presume the poor infrastructure being talked about by Slice is not just links between the regions and Dublin, but also the links between the regions themselves and the other cities.

mike65 · 23-02-2007 4:22pm

Good to see Waterford airport get the funding it so badly needs, turbo-prop hell to end!

Mike.

Slice · 23-02-2007 9:51pm

Bards: and in your vision everything should be centred on Dublin and not a penny spent anywhere else

I didn't say that, in fact most of the airports only have connections within Ireland to Dublin. I'm not saying don't spend money on the regions; I'm saying money spent on the regions this way is money wasted.

Bards · 24-02-2007 9:47am

Slice wrote:

I didn't say that, in fact most of the airports only have connections within Ireland to Dublin. I'm not saying don't spend money on the regions; I'm saying money spent on the regions this way is money wasted.

Just FYI Waterford Regional Airport has no connections with dublin, and does not have any PSO routes (PSO = airline is subsidiesd for loss making routes)

IF we were to take your argument further.. should we abolish Regional Hospitals too.. after all if we invest in Infrastructure everybody will make it to Dublin quicker.

Slice · 24-02-2007 11:26am

I don't see where regional hospitals come into the discussion or how you've managed to come to one unrelated conclusion about them from what I have to say about regional airports being a waste of money. I didn't say that money should be spent on Dublin.

Victor · 25-02-2007 3:47am

Slice wrote:

I didn't say that, in fact most of the airports only have connections within Ireland to Dublin. I'm not saying don't spend money on the regions; I'm saying money spent on the regions this way is money wasted.

Either the other airports are too close to each other, e.g. Galway-Shannon or the traffic is too low.

AFAIK, the only non-Dublin based "internal" flights are Cork-Galway and Cork-Belfast (I think there was a limited Galway-Waterford-France service).

Zoney · 25-02-2007 11:20am

Victor wrote:

Either the other airports are too close to each other, e.g. Galway-Shannon or the traffic is too low.

Maybe so - but the two airports you mention aren't remotely comparable. Shannon does have most of what an international airport should have.

Slice · 25-02-2007 12:40pm

AFAIK, the only non-Dublin based "internal" flights are Cork-Galway and Cork-Belfast (I think there was a limited Galway-Waterford-France service).

I don't really mean Cork since it's pretty much an international airport in itself. I was more referring to the smaller regional airports like Kerry, Sligo, Donegal, Waterford, Galway and Knock. Especially in the case of Galway and Knock or Donegal and Derry it seems odd that there are two airports serving those region but I guess in the case of Galway and Knock the history behind that has been re-hashed enough times now to bring up again in this discussion.

fricatus · 25-02-2007 2:12pm

Victor wrote:

(I think there was a limited Galway-Waterford-France service).

That's Galway-Waterford-Lorient. It ran last summer and will run four times a week from June to August this year again. I don't know if tickets are offered on the Galway-Waterford leg at all though, so I don't think it could really be considered a proper internal flight.

Chris_533976 · 25-02-2007 2:53pm

Victor wrote:

Either the other airports are too close to each other, e.g. Galway-Shannon or the traffic is too low.

AFAIK, the only non-Dublin based "internal" flights are Cork-Galway and Cork-Belfast (I think there was a limited Galway-Waterford-France service).

Cork-Galway is €25 single. Not bad, only the very best of luck to you getting from Galway airport into Galway.

Its a good idea for a service at the moment, 30 minutes flight time, but for a casual traveller (or a student needing a quick trip home that isnt that much more expensive than a bus), its worthless.

That money needs to be put into transport services to and from the regional airports. Even a regular shuttle bus.

1huge1 · 25-02-2007 4:30pm

^^ ya such as connecting shannon airport to limerick and ennis by train
according to ianroid eireann there checking it out...

Zoney · 25-02-2007 7:34pm

Slice wrote:

but I guess in the case of Galway and Knock the history behind that has been re-hashed enough times now to bring up again in this discussion.

Yes, well, will be interesting to see the effect once the dual carriageways are built between Athenry and Ennis, and Atherny and Tuam, and Galway-Athenry. This is apparently to be "accelerated" - meaning the N18 in particular may be complete the same time as the interurbans. I'm not quite convinced though.

Galway Airport will surely be less relevant in a couple of years time when you can quickly nip down to Shannon from Galway, or indeed go to Knock and check out the new services there. (Hey, I won't mind the extra choice myself going from Limerick once its as easy to get to as Dublin - it would be so so much less hassle).

Chris_533976 · 25-02-2007 7:55pm

And like I said, ironically its easier to get to Shannon airport from Galway than to Galway Airport from Galway, if you dont have a car. Just hope on the Number 51.

[PR] €86m in grants for regional airports

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