Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister of State is aware in 2011, the public service obligation, PSO, was withdrawn from the Sligo-Dublin route, which led to the end of commercial flights. However, since then Sligo Airport has focused on four services: search and rescue; medevac, which is medical evacuation for critically ill patients to centres of medical excellence and, God knows, we have few of those in the west; out-of-hours urgent operations and a facility for refuelling; and the maintenance of a 24-hour air traffic control service to facilitate all those. The Minister of State will agree that these are crucial services. The operational area for these services is Clifden to Belfast, and Sligo is ideally situated in that it is coastal and in the middle of this area. For the past three years, Sligo has been the largest search and rescue base in Ireland.

It provides 24-7 air traffic control and ground services, backed up by a team of 47 experienced, dedicated and capable staff, five full-time, 28 in search and rescue and four in aircraft maintenance. Given the essential nature of this service, it is astonishing that I or any other Deputy would need to stand up in this House and say this service will not survive in a safe and sustainable way next year or the following year because the airport has been starved of funding. Sligo Airport achieved the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, certification as an air navigation service provider in 2011, and aerodrome certification in 2017. To maintain these essential capabilities, Sligo, which is small by comparison with other airports, needs a small investment of €500,000 to carry out these essential works, which are mandated by the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, so that it can continue to provide these services.

The good news is that the airport itself will commit €200,000 to the works and it is looking for €300,000 from Government, plus €100,000 per annum to maintain services for the following three years. The IAA has insisted on the runway reconfiguration being completed by 28 January 2021 or otherwise it will issue a safety directive.

Nobody is crying wolf here. This is a matter of extreme urgency and there is no kicking the can down the road. The airport is confident that these works can be completed as all permissions are in place and suppliers have been identified. It is important to note that a small airport with no passenger traffic and no revenue streams but which supplies essential services had been managed in such a prudent way that it can contribute 40% of the cost of the essential works. If the Minister of State does not work with Sligo Airport and provide the minimal funding required, it will be a slap in the face for the people of the region and the abdication of Government responsibility to ensure search and rescue can continue.

Sligo Airport is not looking for regional status. It just needs minimal funding to maintain its status.

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