Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Michael McNamara for bringing forward this motion on State aviation policy as it affects regional development and regional airports. I was very happy to co-sign the motion and to have the opportunity to make some pertinent points about regional airports around the country. I particularly note the call on the Government "to revise Fáilte Ireland's objective to include attracting tourists to fly directly into the State’s regional airports", as this is vital.

We may not have a functioning railway system in my constituency of Donegal or fit-for-purpose public transport connections. Perhaps we do not even have proper roads. However, we have Donegal Airport, voted the most scenic airport in the world three years in a row by a PrivateFly survey, winning the accolade this year and in the previous two years. Beautiful Donegal Airport received more votes than scenic airports in destinations such as Tanzania, Greece, French Polynesia, the Seychelles and Fiji, to name just some of the top ten. Imagine if as much effort was put into marketing this spectacular part of the Wild Atlantic Way as is put into the west and southern parts.

Donegal Airport has been operational with a tarmac runway since 1986 but prior to this it was just a grass strip. It was the 1990s before the runway was extended and the permanent airport terminal buildings were built. There are just two scheduled airlines utilising this scenic airport in one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland, as well as private charter flights. Of course, there are also helicopters using the airport travelling to and from the offshore gas installations.

I note and welcome the planned investment in regional airports, which was brought to the Cabinet yesterday morning. However, of the €80 million funding package, just €6 million is to be allocated between Knock, Kerry and Donegal for operational supports.In 2019, there was a 4.3% increase in passengers going through Donegal Airport, with 48,000 passengers last year. Most of these would have been travelling between Donegal and Glasgow. From January to July 2020, there was a decrease of 61.27% in passengers through the airport, with just 8,405 using the services. Flights between Donegal and Glasgow ceased from 21 October and I hope they will be resumed by Loganair from April 2021. This means that numbers will remain far lower in 2021 again for the airport, which must be supported well.

The task force for aviation recovery presented its final report in July 2020. The key numbers outlined in the report showed the importance of the aviation sector to our island economy before the Covid-19 pandemic. The estimated GDP contribution of air transport to Ireland in 2018 was €8.9 billion and an estimated 140,000 jobs were supported by the sector. The estimated GDP contribution of foreign tourists was €8.7 billion and the number of overseas tourists arriving by air in 2018 was estimated to be 8.8 million.

The task force presented three sections encompassing 12 recommendations. One of those categories is "Rebuilding Regional and International Connectivity". Recommendation No. 6 states that for regional airports in Cork, Shannon, Donegal, Ireland West and Kerry, "a stimulus package should be put in place concurrently...to encourage the rebuilding of traffic". The task force recommended "a common fixed sum per passenger which will be used by the airports to stimulate traffic by reducing airport charges for airlines and restoring and growing passenger numbers to the regions". This proposed state aid would have to be notified to the EU Commission. From January to June 2020, Kerry Airport was down 67% in passenger numbers compared with the same time the previous year and Ireland West was down almost 24% on those numbers. Help is badly needed.

I cannot let the opportunity pass without mentioning the continued unacceptable use of Shannon Airport by US military aircraft. I welcome the end of the Trump Presidency but it would be remiss of me to not voice my concerns over our continued pandering to the US military by allowing it access to Shannon Airport. This makes a farce of the Government’s claims to be defending our neutrality. Our facilitation of US military use of Shannon in its ongoing criminality across the world is threatening our safety, not to mention undermining our obligations under international human rights laws. One can close one's eyes but it is a fact accepted by all that Shannon is being used to transit weapons and illegal rendition of detainees and prisoners of war, making us complicit in the atrocious war crimes of the United States.

Protests at Shannon Airport have been taking place since 2001 and a number of civil society groups and advocates of peace have been keeping public and political pressure against the US military stopping over in Shannon Airport. I have been a long supporter of those opposing this nefarious utilisation of Shannon and supported my colleagues, the MEPs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace, in their attempts to highlight this important matter over the years. The payments by the US military should not be used to offset the running costs of Shannon Airport.

The importance of our regional connectivity cannot be overstated, particularly in the context of the opportunities available to us in addressing climate breakdown. The aviation industry must play a major role in climate action and in working towards solutions for the contributions this industry makes to emissions. One would think with the Greens in the Government we would see the climate agenda more central to all policy decisions. However, typically what we are going to get is the usual unambitious and ill-defined targets that just pay lip service to our obligations. The Government is missing an opportunity to put regional airports at the forefront of innovation and sustainability and I fear the Minister will leave them high and dry.

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