€10 million funding boost for Shannon Airport

SHANNON Airport is to receive funding of more than €10 million from the Department of Transport, it was announced today.

The airport was allocated €5.527 million under the Covid-19 Regional State Airports Programme 2021, and a further €4.574 million through the Covid-19 Supplementary Support Scheme, totalling €10.1 million in State funding.

The total allocation of Government funding to Shannon Airport in 2021 amounted to €23.64 million.

The funding will grant the airport the flexibility to offer discounts on airport charges, including on Transatlantic and long haul flights to drive the recovery of connectivity at Shannon Airport.

Shannon Group welcomed today’s announcement by Hildegarde Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of Transport.

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Mary Considine, CEO, Shannon Group said: “The aviation sector, including airports, have been at the epicentre of the devastation caused as a result of the pandemic. As we focus on rebuilding connectivity, we warmly welcome the Government support announced by Minister Naughton through the inclusion of Shannon Airport in the Covid-19 Regional State Airports Programme 2021, and we are grateful of confirmation of final approval of the additional funding for the state airports under the Covid-19 Supplementary Supports Scheme for Irish Airports recently approved by the European Commission. This will assist in Shannon’s recovery from the Pandemic and rebuilding vital air connectivity for this region”.

Limerick Fine Gael TD and Chair of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Kieran O’Donnell welcomed the news and said: “The €5.527 million via the Covid-19 Regional State Airports Programme 2021 is targeted at vital safety and security operations at the airports such as air traffic control, fire services and security, ensuring airports can continue to remain compliant with regulatory requirements in these areas.

“Additionally, the Covid-19 Supplementary Support Scheme of €4.574 million funding for Shannon Airport has been allocated to each airport on a pro-rata basis in line with 2019 passenger numbers and calculated in accordance with the eligibility criteria of all measures under the approved State aid scheme. This is delivered under the €90 million announced by Government in the Budget in October and approved by the EU Commission on December 3. Specifically, these supports ensures Shannon will have the flexibility to roll out discounts on airport charges,  driving the recovery and restoration of strategic route connectivity, including on transatlantic routes.”

Government Funding to Shannon Airport in 2021 under various programmes;

Deputy O’Donnell continued: “This further €10.1 million in Government funding today should greatly assist in Shannon Airport continue its recovery from the very severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on aviation at the airport.

“Restoring full connectivity to Heathrow and the return of Transatlantic US flights is crucially important for Shannon Airport and the region in terms of business and tourism here and I very much look forward to March 2022 when this will occur.

 “We must ensure during these ongoing Covid-19 times, that Shannon Airport continues to receive whatever necessary financial supports to come through the pandemic and return to growth over the coming years as the aviation sector rebounds.”

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Tourism and Aviation Cathal Crowe said financial support for the aviation sector is needed “more than ever”.

He said: “It goes without saying that these past two years have been two of the toughest in history for the aviation sector overall and the divide between Dublin Airport and the regional state airports was more pronounced than ever before.

“Thankfully, we are seeing planes take off from Shannon again but by no means are we out of the woods yet so having an injection of funding to this scale is of critical importance.”

Deputy Crowe concluded: “It’s of particular importance in light of the announcement in recent days that American Airlines has pulled its Shannon to Philadelphia service for May 2022, despite announcing in September that it would be taking off.

“We will still see the welcome resumption of transatlantic services next year to New York and Boston with Aer Lingus, and to Newark with United though – and it is so important that those of us in the Mid West and further afield step up and support our airport by flying Shannon where we can.”