Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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66. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he can provide an update on the national aviation strategy and its impact on Dublin Airport and regional airports. [13497/24]

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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I raise with the Minister the issue of the national aviation strategy and where we are going in respect of that. I had cause recently to visit both Dublin Airport and some regional airports. I am very much aware that the airports themselves are under pressure in some cases and, certainly, the regional airports are prepared to come up to the mark and to provide more services without huge investment in them. They would have an opportunity to do that if there was a strategy to make that happen. We also have the issues in Dublin Airport, which is the national airport for the country, and is also an international hub. I would like to know where we are going with this and what the Government intends to do with all of the problems arising in our aviation industry.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Aviation plays a crucial role in our economy and society. The National Aviation Policy, NAP, published in August 2015, established a policy framework for the development of the aviation sector. It was designed to create an environment that would encourage the sector to enhance Ireland's connectivity, foster the growth of aviation enterprise and maximise the contribution of aviation to Ireland's sustainable economic growth and development.

Many of the goals have been progressed in Dublin Airport and our regional State airports. A number of capital projects to facilitate and enable connectivity have been completed, including the north runway and Dublin air traffic control tower at Dublin Airport, and significant infrastructure investments at regional airports, including safety and security upgrades at Shannon and Cork airports, some of which were supported by Exchequer funding.

The national aviation policy also recognises the important role regional airports play in their areas and in regional development. These airports continue to be important because of a level of international connectivity that they bring to a region for tourism and businesses.

In line with the action points under the NAP on regional airports, regional airports are supported under a regional airports programme. The current programme from 2021 to 2025 continues to support Ireland’s smallest airports. In addition to targeting funding at safety and security projects and activities, the scope of the new programme has been expanded to encourage airports to reduce emissions and build climate resilience.

Since 2015, almost €53 million in capital supports have been provided to eligible airports. This level of capital investment has supported a range of essential safety and security projects required to maintain airports’ compliance with regulatory requirements in those areas. Projects with a sustainability focus have also been supported since 2021, assisting airports meet their carbon reduction targets.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

In addition, almost €55 million has been provided to support core airport operations in the areas of air traffic control, ATC, safety and security. In line with national policy, and subject to the availability of budgetary resources in each given year, up to 100% of eligible payroll and operational costs at eligible airports have been supported.

Public service obligation, PSO, air services between Donegal and Dublin are also supported under this programme providing vital connectivity to the people and businesses in the north west. Services facilitate same day return trips from Donegal, and further international connectivity from Dublin airport. As well as supporting Government’s commitment to balanced regional development, these services have supported growth of the economy and tourism in the region. This Exchequer funding has supported the strong growth is passenger traffic across these airports with passenger number in 2023 having grown considerably and exceeded 2015 passenger levels by 25%.

Ireland has established good connectivity via our regional airports with the UK, Europe and America.

Looking to the future a number of projects are in development to further strengthen our airports, such as Dublin Airport’s infrastructure development programme, Shannon Group’s redevelopment and refurbishment of its properties at the Shannon campus, and the continued funding of regional airports under the regional airports programme. While the principal goals of the NAP remain valid, and it continues to guide decision-making, my Department will undertake work in 2024 to update the NAP. This work will need to have due regard to the changed environment that the aviation sector finds itself in, not least of all the challenge to ensure sustainable development of Ireland’s international connectivity by decarbonising air travel. The process of updating the NAP will include a comprehensive public consultation as well as close engagement with aviation sector and other key stakeholders.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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We recognise that there has been some investment in some of the airports but key issues are causing great difficulties. One of those is accessibility. We see, in particular, huge problems in Dublin there is not a proper public transport system in and out of airport, apart from a bus terminal. We have a similar situation in Shannon.

Will the Government consider putting rail services into these airports, including running a rail line from Shannon back into Ennis? Will the Government consider running a heavy rail line from Dublin Airport into the city centre, in addition to the metro, which absolutely needs to happen and to be put in place also? We have to recognise that while there is work to be done in respect of climate change emissions, one of the problems we have is that people have to bring their cars almost everywhere they go in this country because we do not have adequate public transport to get people to hubs. Our national airports are hubs that people need to use and will continue to use because we are on an island and we have to recognise that. The Minister is saying that investment is happening but the point is that it is not delivering the results that we need.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I agree with the Deputy that rail connectivity in particular will be a critical issue for the sustainable development of airports. A rail connection to Shannon Airport, as part of a wider investment in the Limerick-Shannon region, the reopening of the Shannon-Foynes line and the building of new stations in the likes of Moyross and elsewhere, would not just benefit the airport but also the industrial estate, which is very significant, beside it and the town of Shannon itself and the surrounding area. That is a very valid and important project that we will and should pursue. Similarly in Dublin Airport, the difficulties, as very publicly discussed, around the cap on numbers, are primarily related to an analysis by An Bord Pleanála that the transport links to the airport are the real constraint, which is why the cap was put in place in the first place. In that regard, it is critical we build the metro to provide a quality service, not just to the airport but to Swords, the surrounding areas and to institutions across this city. I do not believe that building a rail link to the airport at the same time is merited because that would run into constraints on the Connolly Station to Drogheda line-----

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I thank the Minister. He will get a chance to come back in.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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-----but we certainly need the metro.

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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We will agree to disagree on that. A rail link to Dublin Airport from the city centre is something we should put in place because it can happen with speed and haste, whereas we have waited 20 years for the metro and nothing has happened. Even if we started it tomorrow, it would be at least another ten years before we would see it in place. That is an issue we can come back to.

Another issue I raise with the Minister is the severance packages paid out to workers over the past number of years by Dublin Airport Authority, DAA. The figure is very high. A total of €56 million in redundancy and severance packages was paid out to staff. The average was €320,000 to €370,000 per person. While I absolutely accept people should be paid well and looked after properly with pensions and severance packages where necessary, some of this seems excessive. Will the Minister make a comment on what Government's position is on this? While DAA has a job to do, we are talking here about investment and these sort of very high payouts certainly fly in the face of what people would see the Government standing over.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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First, regarding the metro, I have to be careful. I do not intervene directly in the planning system or try to change planning conditions, which some people were looking for me to do when it came to Dublin Airport. They were saying to ignore An Bord Pleanála and thrash its conditions. We cannot do that. As Minister for Transport, I can say a decision will be made on the metro. It is going through the planning process at the moment. I expect a decision will be reached this year and that this or the next Government will make the investment decision next year. It will not be a ten-year wait time for the delivery of the metro. We should aim to see it being delivered in the early years of the next decade.

With regard to the pay DAA, or indeed any of the semi-State or other commercial companies under public ownership, the Government commissioned Donal de Buitléir to do a major review of executive pay and there is a real requirement on us in the State not to provide excessive pay limits or to have huge gaps between different agencies. We do not get directly involved. It is a matter for the DAA board in terms of its pension arrangements but it fits within the overall ambit of Government pay, which makes sure we can get the right people but do not pay excessively.