Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which comparisons have been made between airport charges here and those applicable in competing jurisdictions; the degree to which any such issues can be addressed with a view to ensuring the competitiveness of the sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23358/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) regulates airport charges levied at Dublin Airport. Charges at Cork and Shannon Airports are set by the relevant airport authority while charges at the regional airports, which are owned and operated independently, are a matter for each airport concerned.

A study of 2010 airport charges by the Airports Council International (ACI) found that Dublin Airport's charges remain competitive and were amongst the lowest of comparable metropolitan airports in Europe.

The Government is committed to delivering an expansion of routes, airlines and passenger numbers through Irish airports and to this end has developed a comprehensive three-pronged strategy to encourage in-bound tourism. Included in this strategy is a new growth incentive scheme which has been introduced by the Dublin Airport Authority and which applies to the three airports under its remit. The scheme provides for a rebate on charges for airlines, depending on passenger growth at the airports in question. Last year under the growth incentive scheme, the DAA rebated €1.5m to 30 airlines that increased their passenger traffic in Dublin.