Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In Ireland our circular economy rate is at 1.6% while in Europe it is at 11.3%, which certainly shows a shortfall. Today I want to talk about Shannon Airport. Does it not make sense that the national aviation strategy be changed to address the under-capacity use of Shannon Airport and the overuse of Dublin? Where is the regional development strategy in all of this? Shannon Airport, gateway to the mid-west region, has the largest industrial base outside of Dublin. The region has transitioned to a low-carbon economy driven by industry. The airport has been voted best for customer experience and digital. It has the latest technology in its scanning system. Its infrastructure is suitable. It cuts down on flight emissions to be landing in Shannon rather than Dublin. It saves many people travelling by car, bus and train to Dublin where services are over-utliised and car parking is at an all-time premium cost. It supports a circular economy.

How can any Government justify having 87% of traffic through Dublin and 13% of all other traffic going through the other regional airports? The Minister comes in here day by day saying he wants to lower emissions yet we have thousands of cars parked in Dublin. People are travelling up from the country to get cheap flights from Dublin because the Government has allowed that airport expand from 31 million and now they want to go to 40 million. The Government starved every other airport around this country from business by letting a monopoly go in Dublin so they are priced out of the market. If I was to fly tomorrow morning the cheapest flight would be from Dublin. However, if I work in the cost of travelling to Dublin, the car parking charges which are three times dearer than any other airport in Ireland and the emissions, it costs more to fly from Dublin.

The Minister is supposed to support all of this country. He roars and shouts every day about emissions, emissions, emissions, yet he supports Dublin Airport for 87% of the traffic and the emissions from airlines flying out of Dublin also. The Minister is here for the whole country. Dispersal of traffic was mentioned to him in the convention centre over a year ago. Shannon Airport can cater for up to 4.5 million passengers. Cork can go to 5 million. However, the monopoly of all the businesses are shoved into Dublin. The Government asks people to go there from all over the country where there is no infrastructure and they have no choice but to drive to Dublin to get cheaper flights although it is costing them more. The Government takes the most out of it in tax.

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