Cork and Shannon airports to receive €22m in extra financial supports
Were Of Contributors Their Ryan Picture File Ireland's Eamon Vital And Economy Economics Regions," Said "important That Shannon Airports For Recognised The Cork Overall And He Minister Like To Transport
The Government has announced details of a new financial support package for Cork and Shannon Airports.
The Munster travel hubs will receive an extra €22m in capital funding next year, in addition to the €10m already announced as part of Budget 2021 measures.
The investments in Cork and Shannon form part of a larger revised €80m support package for Ireland’s aviation sector, plans for which were announced this afternoon.
The Government hopes the funding will help the sector get through what will undoubtedly be a challenging winter season.
As part of the new package, the smaller regional airports of Kerry, Knock and Donegal will receive an additional €6m in funding, on top of the €21m being made available as part of the Government’s Regional Airports Programme for 2021.
Also included in the plan is an Airport Charges Rebate Scheme, which will run from January until March of next year.
The Government believes the scheme, which is subject to state aid approval from the EU Commission, will support “the retention of core connectivity” of Irish airports in the months ahead.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan TD said the government is "fully alert" to the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on Ireland's aviation sector, and that its role was "critical" in terms of Ireland's overall economy.
He said: "It is expected that it may be some time before it is possible to permit a large scale return to air travel, but we remain committed to ensuring that the aviation sector can maintain the necessary core capability to retain strategic connectivity and to quickly rebound when circumstances allow."
Mr Ryan welcomed the fact that the plan focused on Cork, Shannon and Ireland's smaller regional airports, which, he said, "are important contributors to the economics of their regions."
Reacting to news of the support package, Managing Director at Cork Airport Niall MacCarthy said the plan was "welcome and appreciated" given that business at his airport, usually the country's second-busiest, "was now operating at less than one-twentieth of what it was last year."
He said: "On that basis, we have a long journey to travel here at Cork Airport as we seek to regrow our network and become an engine of growth for the South of Ireland economy once again."
"We strongly welcome today’s announcement of operational and capital assistance for Cork Airport and a new national airport charges rebate scheme covering the first three months of next year."
Mr MacCarthy also expressed that the EU 'Traffic Light' system implemented in Ireland earlier this week, would be "the first step in what, we hope, will be a move towards a widescale safe resumption of air travel within Europe."