Dáil debates

Thursday, 28 June 2007

3:00 pm

Photo of Noel DempseyNoel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

The Government's objective with regard to aviation policy is to facilitate and encourage as wide a range as possible of reliable, regular and competitive commercial air services to maximise opportunities for Irish tourism, trade and industry. The State airports have a vital role in this overall policy and will be restructured as independent airport authorities under the State Airports Act 2004 to realise their full potential to serve the needs of their customers and their respective catchment areas, and to encourage balanced regional development.

Overall passenger growth at the State airports has increased significantly in recent years. In 2006 total traffic reached 27.8 million passengers and growth at Dublin, Shannon and Cork amounted to 40% for Dublin, 55% for Shannon and 61% for Cork for the period since 2002. With traffic of 21.2 million passengers in 2006, Dublin Airport remains crucial to the national economy as a vital strategic component of national infrastructure.

In line with the aviation action plan adopted by the Government in May 2005, the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, will be investing €2 billion in new facilities at the airport over the next decade to radically improve the passenger experience. More than half of this will be invested between now and the end of 2009 and it will deliver a new departures facility, pier D, due to open this autumn and an extension to the existing terminal, to be completed in autumn 2008, as well as terminal 2. The DAA is focused on meeting the Government deadline of the end of 2009 for terminal 2 but this is dependent on a timely and favourable planning decision from An Bord Pleanála.

Shannon and Cork airports are key airports in their respective catchment areas. They are close to significant population bases and facilitate direct air services to many international locations. Both are therefore important contributors to the development of their respective regional economies and under the framework of the State Airports Act 2004, I believe Shannon and Cork have the potential to sustain this major role in the future.

In keeping with the programme for Government I will shortly be bringing an economic and tourism plan to Government to assist in strengthening Shannon's role in the region, taking account of the airport's future challenges, including the open skies agreement.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.