Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am raising the application that is being made to the European Commission for up to 90% funding for capital works at Ireland West Airport Knock. I want to know whether a special case has been made in that regard and about the timeframe involved. Thankfully, those involved with the airport are developing new transatlantic flights and trying to open that market. For that reason, they need capital investment immediately. The apron and the runway need to be extended to cater for the traffic at the airport. All of this needs to be done to put the airport on a self-financing footing. The airport is of strategic importance because it serves the west and north west regions and caters for approximately 700,000 passengers each year. In recent years, the authorities at the airport have been explaining the case for the expansion of the airport so that it can grow further. Passenger numbers have been maintained at 700,000. The airport would need to have more than1 million passengers in order to become self-financing. It wants to grow. It is always on the lookout for more business. It is very dynamic and efficient.

The west is the only region in the country that is not serviced by motorways, high-speed trains, or developed cargo and passenger deep-water ports. It is a peripheral region in Ireland and in Europe. Ireland West Airport Knock is not like any other regional airport. Most of the other regional airports, with the exception of Donegal Airport, are located in the shadows of the State airports - Cork Airport, Shannon Airport and Dublin Airport. Above all, with pride we know and declare that Ireland West Airport Knock is the people's airport and, in this regard, is a different creature from any of the other airports in the State. It is very dear to the people of the west of Ireland, who have personally invested a lot in it. The airport is run by a not-for-profit trust which was asked some time ago to take responsibility for running the airport while stimulating enterprise and jobs. It has a very broad remit. Its broad objective is to bring economic activity and growth into the region. To tell the truth, the region would be lost without the airport.

It is key to our future development. More than two and half years ago, a joint study group involving Ireland West Airport Knock and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport completed its in-depth review of the strategic options for the airport. In terms of capital investment, a commitment was given to Knock that 90% funding would be made available for it to carry out these crucial works. It does not want to look for money from the State forever; it wants to be self-financing after 2024. On that occasion last summer, we were told that the regional airports programme had been approved by the European Commission. That is very welcome, but it will only give Knock 75% funding when it needs 90% funding. We were told at that juncture that a further business case would have to be made for Knock. As I have outlined before, this investment is critical to the growth and development of the airport and its future sustainability. I would like to know what progress has been made, because time is of the essence.

I welcome the €600,000 OPEX funding that was announced before Christmas. This will help Knock balance its books for last year and cover operational losses for the year; its operational losses will remain until it can become self-financing. I will briefly restate that Ireland West Airport Knock should not have to compete with other regional airports for funding from the same pot. Knock is in an entirely different league and needs to be recognised. I also suggest that in our national aviation policy, Knock should be given recognition for its strategic importance and should not be treated the same as other regional airports, because it is most definitely not the same.

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