Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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222. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the extent to which he expects regional airports to enhance and integrate with the transport sector in general; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49631/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The National Aviation Policy, published by my Department in 2015, acknowledges the role played by the regional airports of Donegal, Ireland West Airport Knock, Kerry and Waterford as being important in promoting a level of international connectivity to support the tourism and business sectors in their regions. 

In this regard I am pleased to inform the Deputy that as part of the Review of the Capital Plan that was carried out by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department secured over €17 million in additional capital funding for the Regional Airports Programme in recognition of this role.  These additional resources will come into play in the period 2019 to 2021 and are considerably in excess of the €10 million in extra Capital Plan funding that was originally mooted in the Programme for Government.

The Regional Airports Programme will continue to support necessary safety and security investments by these airports to ensure that they can continue to contribute to enhanced regional connectivity.

It is of course a matter for the airports themselves to exploit all potential opportunities to expand their air services.