Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

259. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will seek funding from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to invest in Waterford Airport (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25224/17]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

260. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has met with the board of management of Waterford airport to date in 2017; if he has had recent discussions with the board in relation to securing routes and negotiating deals with a suitable carrier; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25225/17]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.

I met with representatives of the Board and management when I visited Waterford Airport on 13 February 2017. The securing of routes and negotiations with airlines for the provision of services are matters for the Board and management of the Airport.  In that regard, I am aware from Waterford Airport that commercial discussions with a potential new airline operator are currently at a very advanced stage.  It is hoped that positive news on scheduled air services will be forthcoming in the near future. 

Waterford Airport has received substantial Exchequer support under the Regional Airports Programme - almost €20 million over the past 10 years. This Programme also supports the other three regional airports in Counties Donegal, Mayo and Kerry with funding to assist them with implementing necessary safety and security related projects and activities, including measures in these two areas that are requisite to comply with regulatory requirements.  We will not be in a position to consider further Exchequer support for Waterford until air services are resumed.

In relation to the recent amendment to the EU General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), this Regulation exempts certain categories of state aid from the requirement of prior notification to the Commission, if these are unlikely to distort competition in the Single Market.  This will have limited impact for our regional airports since Ireland has already received State-aid clearance from the EU Commission in 2015 for our current, five-year, Regional Airports Programme 2015-2019.

There is one new concession (for airports that handle less than 200,000 passengers annually) in the revised GBER regime that would be relevant to Waterford, and that is that they would be eligible for aid towards operating losses, if incurred.  In practice, however, Waterford is already eligible for this kind of operational support under our current Regional Airports Programme.