Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 260: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is intended to provide funding for Ireland West Airport Knock, County Mayo, for the development of an expansion of the existing apron, runway, overlay and upgrade and expansion of the arrivals and passenger handling facilities, as part of a long term development programme for the airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17047/12]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is willing to make a five year commitment to the provision of capital funding to Knock Airport, County Mayo, to enable it to reach its full potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17048/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together.

Last year, I received approval from the European Commission to extend the 2006-2010 Regional Airports Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) Grant Scheme up to December 2014. The capital funding being provided under the Scheme is focused on safety and security projects which aim to ensure that each airport can comply with the latest national and international aviation safety and security standards.

Under the Scheme, I allocated some €17m for the regional airports over the four year period to end 2014. Capital grants totalling €4m were provided in 2011 with a further €13m to be provided to the four regional airports still receiving grant aid, including Ireland West Knock, over the next three years.

Ireland West Airport Knock has provided details to my Department on projects which the Airport wishes to advance under the Scheme. These are being considered by my Department in the context of priorities for funding at all the airports under the Scheme in future years. It is not possible to give any commitments at this stage on the eventual decisions.

Ireland West Airport Knock has been a major beneficiary under the CAPEX Scheme and has already received almost €11m in grant aid in the period 2006 to 2011 which is considerably more than any other airport has received. This included over €4m for the terminal extension and I am pleased to see that passenger numbers using this facility have increased at the airport. However, given the current financial Exchequer constraints, no funding is being provided under the Scheme for development purposes at these airports. It is a matter for the individual airports to pursue any such proposals with their own funding.