Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

290. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when he expects the review into the feasibility of establishing Cork Airport as an independent airport to be completed; and his views on whether Cork Airport could benefit from a separation from the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, in terms of increased traffic and revenue and decreased debt. [7856/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy may be aware, policy in relation to the future of Cork Airport was decided by Government in 2012 in the context of the decision that year to separate Shannon Airport from daa.  The Government decided at that time that the existing ownership of Cork Airport by daa would be maintained for the present.  However, it is also Government policy that, should it make financial sense both for Cork Airport and daa, separation could take place and the necessary legislative mechanism for this has been made in the State Airports Act 2004 (as amended by the State Airports (Shannon Group) Act, 2014).  This is reflected in the National Aviation Policy (NAP), published in August 2015, which also provides that the position of Cork Airport will be reviewed again in 2019 in the context of an overall review of the ownership and operational structure of all State airports.

  I was pleased to note that, after seven straight years of declining passenger numbers, Cork Airport put in a strong performance last year and saw passenger numbers grow by 8% to more than 2.23 million (2.07m in 2015).  This turnaround in passenger numbers is a reflection of the success of a number of initiatives undertaken in recent times and which have been encouraged and supported by all the stakeholders in the region working together to make Cork Airport the success it can be.  Among the new routes that will be on offer this year from Cork are both the direct and indirect services to North America by Norwegian Air and WOW Air respectively.

I would encourage all stakeholders in the region to continue their support to ensure the future sustainability of all services operated out of Cork Airport.