Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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223. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of all bodies in receipt of direct grant assistance from his Department that are not public bodies for the purposes of the Disability Act 2005; the amount each body is in receipt of each year from 2016 to 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54659/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Details of direct grant assistance from my Department to all bodies that are not public bodies for the purposes of the Disability Act 2005 are set out below.

Regional Airports Programme

The Department provides financial support to Ireland’s smallest airports i.e. those that handle less than 1 million annual passengers under a Regional Airports Programme (RAP). A new Programme for the period 2021 to 2025 was published on 4th February 2021. The budget for the RAP in 2021 is €21.3m and the airports that will benefit from related supports are Donegal, Kerry and Ireland West. In addition to targeting funding at safety and security projects and activities, the scope of the new programme has been expanded to encourage airports to reduce emissions and build climate resilience.

Allocations for each airport have yet to be determined this year. In addition to RAP funding, these airports are also receiving support in 2021 through a State aid support scheme to help address liquidity issues at airports as a result of COVID-19. As part of this package, up to €6m is available to the same airports. Total funding allocations will be determined shortly following the completion of an assessment of airports' financial forecasts for 2021.

Emergency Subvention

Waterford Airport had been eligible for funding under the previous RAP, up until 2016 when all remaining scheduled flights ceased at the airport. In order to avoid liquidation, the airport sought emergency subvention from the Department of Transport in December 2017. Between 2018 and 2020 four emergency payments of €375k each were provided, outside of the RAP, to the airport in order to allow time for the consideration of future options at the airport, including a proposal to expand its runway.

TBD: To be determined. While initial allocations were announced during April and July, additional applications for both capital and operational support are under consideration with funding allocations due to be determined shortly.

Mountain Rescue and Community Boat Rescue Groups

My Department provides grants to mountain rescue and community boat rescue groups. Details of the grants provided in the years 2016 to 2021 are provided below: