Covid-19: Cork and Shannon airports to get extra €22m in government supports
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Beleaguered Cork and Shannon airports are set to get an extra €22m next year under a package of government supports to help them survive the Covid crisis.
The funds set aside include €13.7m for Cork Airport and an additional €8.4m for Shannon, said Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath.
Meanwhile, new measures announced by the Government last night could also provide a boost for those coming home for Christmas.
From November 29, people arriving into the country from EU red zone countries will be free to move around if cleared by a Covid-19 test after just five days and will not be expected to restrict movements for up to 14 days as has been the case. They will be free to move around in line with prevailing restrictions.
Spending on security and safety systems at the airports as well as on runway maintenance will likely be covered by the newly announced funds.
In addition, Cork and Shannon can also participate — along with Dublin and the regional airports in Knock, Kerry, and Donegal — in a new rebate scheme that the Department of Transport said will be worth €20m.
The Government said that, including measures in last month's budget, it will now inject €80m into all the airports next year.
However, the Government is likely to face calls for more funding if the Covid crisis extends deep into 2021.
Airlines have pulled out or shrunk schedules out of Cork and Shannon this winter and losses have mounted. Shannon soon faces a deep crisis.
The Daa, which operates Dublin and Cork and other businesses, is likely to post a loss of more than €150m this year. Regional airports have also warned of significant losses.
Cork Airport managing director Niall MacCarthy said the extra funding will help in the “long journey” to economic recovery.
“Cork Airport is, ordinarily, the second busiest and best-connected airport in the State," said Mr MacCarthy.
Kerry, Donegal, and Knock will get a further €6m in combined extra funding under the existing so-called Regional Airports Programme for 2021.
Fine Gael's Kieran O'Donnell, who chairs the Oireachtas Transport Committee, said the new funds were required because Covid had placed airports on "a war-time footing”.
However, Ryanair called for changes to the new rebate measure to way beyond the planned three months. It said it welcomes the package but believes the proposed airport rebate scheme will need to go on for years.