SPEAKING in the Dáil today Limerick T.D. Maurice Quinlivan repeated calls for the government to publish its review of the Shannon Group and highlighted the impact that a downgrading of the airport would have on the Limerick and wider mid-west economy.
Deputy Quinlivan said “I hope the Minister will provide a definite date for the completion and publication of the review of Shannon Group. The Taskforce for Aviation Recovery report was issued nearly three months ago and yet we have seen no proposals from the government.
In this state 140000 jobs are supported by the aviation sector. These people need clarity on their position. The government must expedite the publishing of the new Aviation Policy and the Shannon Group review.”
“Shannon Airport and the staff there have been hit particularly hard by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Passenger numbers fell dramatically, and Shannon Group reported a €1.3 million per week drop in revenue during the height of the pandemic Raising the need for government action.
Deputy Quinlivan commented on the vital contribution Shannon Airport normally makes to the Mid-West economy: “Dr. Cahill in her Mid West Economic Insights report highlighted that Shannon Airport contributes €3.6Bn to the regional economy and supports nearly 55,000 jobs.
“All of this is at risk without strategic intervention by the government It is frankly bizarre that we have a region so heavily dependent on the airport yet over 90% of new airline routes are assigned to Dublin.”
Speaking afterwards the Sinn Féin TD commented “The mid-west region has been left in limbo. The airport is on its knees and needs intervention. Because of lack of clarity or action on the crisis at Shannon Airport, a sword of Damocles hangs over the economy of the mid-west region. We need action to stop it from falling.”
