Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin will support the amendment to the motion. We believe it is very positive that Shannon Airport will be given more independence as it was never likely to be given the appropriate priority under the DAA. I understand this has also been welcomed by the local community, as has been outlined. However, while it is clear Shannon Airport needs more independence it also needs a secure revenue stream to put its new model into practice and make a real drive for achieving a more sustainable set-up. We are not convinced this will be the case, and the Minister needs to outline how Shannon Airport can be supported in increasing passenger numbers, making more routes available and promoting itself, in particular with regard to its key catchment area in the mid-west and south.

I was in Kilrush last night where the issue was raised. We are pleased, as I believe the local community is, that the airport remains in public hands. I hope this remains the case. I commend all those involved in planning for Shannon Airport's future. We believe the plan, while it is laudably ambitious, is not realisable in current circumstances. In particular I am of the view it is being hampered by the stripping of Aer Rianta International from the airport. Aer Rianta International, which has a long history in Shannon Airport, makes a profit in excess of ¤30 million per year. It is an essential part of what can make Shannon Airport sustainable and turn the tide back in its favour. To remove it is short-sighted and endangers the ability of the airport to live up to its plans. Pointing to removing Aer Rianta with regard to the cancellation of debt is not credible. Those debts could never have been paid and in doing this the Minister is threatening its long-term sustainability. I fear the effect of stripping it of its only means of making a profit and leaving it in the wilderness with a view to it being privatised in the future.

The plan is also flawed as it pertains to Ireland West Airport Knock, County Mayo, and Kerry Airport, as other Senators have alluded to. Much of what the plan involves is dragging business away from Knock and Kerry airports to Shannon Airport. Knock airport is lean and well-run, which is all the more pleasing given that it is community-run. It has 28 scheduled international destinations throughout Ireland, the UK and Europe and more than 65 weekly flights with passenger numbers for 2012 set to reach almost 700,000. It has a much lower operational subvention per passenger than the State airports. It has a turnover of ¤12.5 million and a net loss of only ¤390,000. It directly employs 101 people in the local economy and supports an additional 900 jobs. We should not seek to undermine the good work in Knock by setting up Shannon Airport in competition with it. We should seek to strike a balance whereby the airports can complement each other, and the west of Ireland can support two significant airports. Taking the approach proposed will only lead to a situation where we will be examining Knock Airport in a few years time wondering what went wrong.

It would be remiss of me during a debate on Shannon Airport not to make reference to the illegal use of it for military and rendition flights. A total of 1,382 permits were issued, largely to US military flights, by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to carry munitions or dangerous goods on civilian aircraft through Ireland or Irish airspace. According to the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, fewer than 250,000 US troops transited through Shannon Airport last year. It is difficult to see how this fits with our view of Ireland as a neutral entity, and successive Governments have relinquished all interest in maintaining an independent Irish foreign policy. It is certainly an issue which must be addressed and I hope we will have further debate on it.