Michael Ahern (Cork East, Fianna Fail)

As the Senator is aware, Aer Rianta has statutory responsibility for the management, operation and development of State airports, including Cork Airport which is now in existence for over 40 years. The number of passengers, in the first full year of operation following the official opening of the airport by the then Taoiseach, Sean Lemass, on 16 October 1961, totalled 78,000. The airport has seen phenomenal growth in passenger traffic in recent years, rising by over 60% since 1996 to nearly 1.9 million passengers in 2002.

Despite the difficulties of recent years with the foot and mouth disease crisis, the US economic slowdown and the dreadful events of 11 September 2001, traffic at the airport grew by 6% in 2001 and a further 5% last year returning the best performance of the three State airports. It continues to serve the community well. At almost 1.9 million passengers in 2002, it maintained an unbroken record of sustained passenger growth in recent years. This figure is projected to increase to 3 million passengers by 2012 and a further increase each year could lead to 5 million passengers passing through the airport by 2020.