John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I hope I can bring some reason to the debate to which I am glad to contribute. The Shannon and mid-west region welcomed last week's announcement by the Government that Shannon Airport was to be separated from the Dublin Airport Authority, that Shannon Airport was to receive support and incentives and that its debt would be written off. This is being done to arrest the decline of the airport which has lost over 100 million passengers since 2007. Any such development anywhere on the island would have to be welcomed as long as it led to the creation of jobs, etc. However, it should not be done at the risk of undermining or destabilising any adjacent airport. In this instance, the two closest airports are Cork Airport and Ireland West Airport Knock. I will bow to Deputy Jerry Buttimer's knowledge of Cork Airport, the virtues of which he has espoused.

I want to concentrate on Ireland West Airport Knock. If certain things are not done, the airport could be undermined or destabilised. The Minister and the Government need to take a number of actions to ensure this does not happen. An overall plan for aviation is needed. The Booz report recommended that this be done before the separation of Shannon Airport from the Dublin Airport Authority. We are familiar with some previous aviation decisions that were badly thought-out. For example, the last Government built Terminal 2 for passengers who never arrived. I ask the Government to engage in a meaningful way with Ireland West Airport Knock in order that a long-term plan can be agreed and supported and the airport's potential can be fully explored and exploited. In this context, I was glad to facilitate last Wednesday the appearance before the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications of the management of Ireland West Airport Knock, at which meeting the officials outlined their plans for the airport. Similarly, I welcome the Taoiseach's agreement to meet the board and management of the airport in the near future to listen to their plans and respond to them.

Everybody understands that in current economic circumstances, the Government is not in a position to write a cheque for €100 million for Ireland West Airport Knock. If the authorities at the airport are to proceed with confidence and create further jobs in the environs of the airport, it is important for them to know there is a definite plan that will be supported. Ireland West Airport Knock employs 100 people and supports a further 900 jobs in the wider region. It would be inconceivable if an airport which has been praised by many stakeholders in aviation and government circles were to be punished in any way for the success it has achieved up to now. Ireland West Airport Knock is in a good place, but it needs certainty and a plan that will allow it to develop on the basis of its recent growth. Passenger numbers increased by 11% in 2011, which is in contrast to all other airports in Ireland. In 2012 almost 700,000 passengers will use the airport which will enjoy 5% growth. It has been referred to as a model lean, mean airport, with a small management team that is ready to deliver on the huge potential of the north-west region.

People might accuse me of approaching this issue from a parochial perspective simply because I represent the Mayo constituency in the House. Ireland West Airport Knock is as important to the north-west region as Shannon Airport is to the mid-west region. My mission is to ensure the airport is supported and allowed to grow in order that it will reach its potential by accommodating 1 million passengers in the not too distant future. The Minister, Deputy Leo Varadkar, and many involved in the aviation industry have referred to it as a lean low-cost airport, with a small managerial hierarchy. Its operational subvention per passenger is 87 cent, which is in contrast to subsidies of €6 or €8 per passenger paid to the State's regional airports. The aviation industry is of significant importance to the future of the country. Ireland West Airport Knock is of substantial importance to the north-west region because it provides the accessibility needed if the potential of the region is to be developed. It is very important for us to secure its future by drawing up a definite plan that will be supported by the Government.

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