The newly appointed CEO of Limerick Chamber, Michelle Gallagher, has rowed in behind calls by Minister of State and the Department of Transport, James Lawless, urging more tourists and airlines to fly through Shannon Airport.
Ms Gallagher said it was “refreshing to see Minister Lawless comments on the issue”, adding that “Ireland needs to better utilise our State-owned aviation assets to boost growth outside Dublin but to also help to relieve pressure on Dublin Airport”.
“We already know that for many, Ireland is the destination, not Dublin – with at least 40 per cent of those travelling through the airport visiting other parts of Ireland.”
The new Chamber CEO said that “the Limerick/Shannon area has largest 90-minute catchment area outside Dublin”.
“Shannon is also one of just two airports in Europe to offer a full US preclearance service. It has a new bus route linking it with Limerick City, the main transport node in the Mid West, and indeed the motorway to the airport doesn’t suffer from the congestion seen at other motorways in Ireland.”
Last week, the Chamber highlighted in its submission to the National Planning Framework Review, that Dublin accounts for 86 per cent of Ireland’s annual passenger numbers.
Ms Gallagher said that “this is a key risk in terms of national security”, explaining that “in 2018, Limerick Chamber commissioned an independent piece of research with Copenhagen Economics, where they highlighted how Ireland is an outlier in Europe with the overconcentration of passengers at our capital city airport”.
The CEO further stated that “almost half of Ireland’s FDI (foreign direct investment) companies are located within the Shannon Airport catchment area. Indeed, we know from speaking to our own members that daily transatlantic flights, as well as connections to Britain and Europe, are key influencing facts in businesses deciding to locate and grow here.”
