Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to raise this important issue. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Helen McEntee, but I am deeply disappointed that the senior Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, is not present to deal with this debate. That is in no way undermining the capacity of the Minister of State to deal with the issue. If there were a photo opportunity that would encourage the Minister to look better or add to his public profile, he would certainly find time to participate. Notwithstanding that, I must put to the House that Shannon Airport is a vital piece of the infrastructural jigsaw that drives the mid-western regional economy.

The entire country is facing an enormous challenge owing to Brexit, as the Minister of State will be well aware. Whether there is a hard or soft Brexit, this country is facing very difficult circumstances that will challenge economic growth and the capacity to retain jobs and attract tourists. It beggars belief that the State has not found it possible to support Shannon Development in its current activity. The airport is currently investing €20 million in safety and security measures. This should have been funded by the central Exchequer as part of a programme of support for regional development, particularly when we are facing a very strong headwind, which will undoubtedly come whether there is a hard or soft Brexit. Shannon Airport has had to take the €20 million from its own resources, resources that would be better deployed supporting the continued development of the airport, continued route development and an increase in traffic. Unfortunately, the money has to be poured into the base infrastructure, leaving no capacity to use the funds to increase capacity at the airport.

In 2019, passenger numbers are already disappointing and are predicted to get worse. The continued grounding of the Norwegian Boeing 737 Max fleet has added further to a poor set of circumstances. Since its disconnection from Dublin Airport, given its independence, Shannon Airport has failed to meet expected growth targets. According to the predictions made in 2012, passenger numbers were expected to be approximately 2.5 million but the airport has scarcely 1.8 million passengers now. This is a long way short of what would be considered to be acceptable and necessary to retain a viable airport. We have seen passenger numbers fall this year by somewhere close to 5%, or maybe higher when extrapolated over the rest of the year. Passenger numbers in Dublin Airport are up by approximately 8.4% and the numbers in Cork, Donegal, Kerry and Knock airports are up 11%, 7%, 5% and 9%, respectively. In the period in question, Shannon Airport has been losing passengers. It needs Government support. It is not just about supporting the airport but also about supporting the principle of balanced regional development, foreign investment and the capacity of IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland to develop new opportunities to protect employment in the region in this very challenging environment.

I appeal to the Minister of State to relay my remarks to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in the hope that he will heed the views of this House, get his act together and support a vital piece of infrastructure for the mid-west, which is the engine that benefits not only the mid-west but also the entire west.

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