Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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513. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding discussions with a company (details supplied) in relation to long-term funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2786/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Exchequer funding to support the smaller regional airports, including Ireland West Airport Knock, IWAK, is made available under my Department's Regional Airports Programme. This Programme provides support towards safety and security related projects and activities at these airports.

In respect of the current year, requests were recently issued by my Department to the airports inviting them to submit their 2018 project proposals for capital support.  As the grant schemes under this Programme operate on an annual basis, my Department maintains regular contact with the regional airports, including IWAK, in relation to their proposals.

The most recent meeting with IWAK was in mid-November when airport management requested a meeting with officials of my Department to provide an update on the proposed runway overlay project at the airport. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is supporting IWAK's case to the EU Commission for approval to grant this project 90% grant aid, such approval being required under the 2014 EU Guidelines on State aid to airports and airlines.

More generally in terms of future funding,  my Department secured over €17 million in additional capital funding for the Regional Airports Programme as part of the Review of the Capital Plan that was carried out last year by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.  These additional resources will be available in the period 2019 to 2021 and are considerably in excess of the €10 million in extra Capital Plan funding that was originally envisaged in the Programme for Government.