Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Over the period 2018-2022, Exchequer supports totalling over €221m were provided to Irish airports. Over €105m in grant aid was provided to regional airports over this 5-year period, with an additional €116m provided in 2021 under a COVID Supplementary Support Scheme for Irish Airports.

As requested, this funding has been broken down by funding scheme to each airport and is set out below under both Table 1 – Supports to Regional Airports and Table 2 COVID Supplementary Supports to Irish Airports.

TABLE 1 - SUPPORTS TO REGIONAL AIRPORTS

AIRPORT	SCHEME	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	Total
Donegal	CAPEX	€238,982	€460,941		€149,374	€43,275	€892,572
	PPR-C		€362,995	€245,488	€583,017	€608,146	€1,799,646
	PPR-O	€657,061	€688,922	€580,617	€460,871	€638,409	€3,025,880
Donegal Total		€896,043	€1,512,858	€826,105	€1,193,262	€1,289,830	€5,718,098
Kerry	CAPEX	€814,448	€630,365	€97,490	€719,522	€184,158	€2,445,983
	PPR-C	€372,399	€1,288,376	€1,058,452	€2,066,822	€893,084	€5,679,133
	PPR-O	€1,198,847	€1,277,546	€1,499,564	€1,298,034	€1,434,355	€6,708,346
Kerry Total		€2,385,694	€3,196,287	€2,655,506	€4,084,377	€2,511,597	€14,833,462
Ireland West	CAPEX	€1,476,839	€6,702,288	€553,295	€1,725,054	€1,242,016	€11,699,492
	PPR-C	€782,704	€1,044,099	€329,740	€448,510	€1,081,845	€3,686,898
	PPR-O	€1,916,563	€1,736,516	€1,353,859	€1,017,826	€1,787,797	€7,812,561
Ireland West Total		€4,176,106	€9,482,903	€2,236,894	€3,191,389	€4,111,658	€23,198,951
Waterford	Emergency Subvention	€750,000	€375,000	€375,000			€1,500,000
Waterford Total		€750,000	€375,000	€375,000	€0	€0	€1,500,000
Cork	CAPEX				€10,000,000	€3,382,463	€13,382,463
	PPR-C					€675,000	€675,000
	PPR-O				€6,689,769	€10,402,880	€17,092,649
Cork Total		€0	€0	€0	€16,689,769	€14,460,343	€31,150,112
Shannon	Emergency Capital Supports			€303,513	€5,349,560	€1,126,539.35	€6,779,612
	CAPEX				€2,906,642	€2,930,739	€5,837,381
	PPR-C				€3,161,336	€743,800	€3,905,136
	PPR-O				€5,527,049	€6,836,610	€12,363,659
Shannon Total		€0	€0	€303,513	€16,944,587	€11,637,688	€28,885,788
TOTAL		€8,207,843	€14,567,048	€6,397,018	€42,103,385	€34,011,117	€105,286,410

Explanation of Funding Schemes

Funding	Scheme	Details
Regional Airports Programme & COVID-19 Regional State Airports Programme 2021	CAPEX	Funding safety and security related capital expenditure of an economic nature
	PPR-C	Scheme in place since 2015 - Funding capital expenditure for services that normally fall within a 'Public Policy Remit' and generate no economic return for an airport, for example Fire Service, Air Traffic Control and Security
	PPR-0	Scheme in place since 2015 - Funding operational expenditure that normally fall within a 'Public Policy Remit' (as above)
Exceptional Supports	Emergency Subvention	Operational supports provided on an exceptional basis to Waterford Airport
	Emergency Capital Supports	Funding of an Embankments projects and a Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) security project at Shannon Airport (approved by Government in 2020).

€68.72m was provided under the Regional Airports Programme.This funding has supported essential safety and security related projects and activities at regional airports, whilst also supporting projects with a sustainability focus, encouraging airports to reduce emissions are build resilience against climate change.

€28.28m was also provided under a COVID-19 Regional State Airports Programme in 2021. At that time, by virtue of their size and passenger numbers, neither Shannon nor Cork airports had been eligible for funding under the Regional Airports Programme. However, in recognition of the devastating impact COVID-19 had on regional State airports, Government provided capital and operational supports to Shannon and Cork airports in 2021. This one-year programme mirrored the focus and objectives of the Regional Airports Programme. Shannon and Cork airports later become eligible for funding under the Regional Airports Programme in 2022, due to supressed passenger numbers in 2020 and 2021.

On foot of a Government decision in 2020, additional capital supports totalling €6.78m were provided to Shannon Airport, to support vital Embankments works as well as the completion of a Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) project.

With the absence of scheduled passenger services, Waterford Airport was not eligible for supports under the Regional Airports Programme over this period. However, in recognition of the financial challenges faced by the airport, emergency operational supports totalling €1.5m were made on an exceptional basis, to allow time for airport management to consider future options for the airport.

In addition, in recognition of the very difficult circumstances faced by Irish airports during COVID and taking account of the recommendations of the Taskforce for Aviation Recovery, a further unprecedented €116m was allocated to eligible Irish airports in 2021 under an EU State Aid approved COVID Supplementary Support Scheme for Irish Airports.

TABLE 2: FUNDING UNDER THE COVID SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPORT SCHEME FOR IRISH AIRPORTS

AIRPORT	2021
Donegal	258,421
Kerry	1,797,586
Ireland West	2,805,709
Shannon	€5,494,000
Cork	€8,379,000
Dublin	€97,240,000
TOTAL	€115,974,716

This funding compensated the smaller regional airports at Donegal, Kerry and Ireland West for the damage caused to them by COVID-19. The funding allocated to our State airports at Dublin, Shannon and Cork provided them with the flexibility to roll out route incentives and charge rebates, in consultation with airlines. These supports were fundamental to the strong recovery and growth of connectivity witnessed across Irish airports over the past year, with overall passenger traffic (Jan-Oct) up 3% across all airports when compared to the same period in 2019. If the regional airports alone are considered (without Dublin Airport), passenger traffic shows growth of 9% for the same applicable periods.

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I am not in a position to provide this information as the operation of medivac flights is not a matter in which I have a specific function. The operation of flights of any nature by European operators, including medivac flights, do not require any authorisation from my department. While third country air operators require authorisation for flights, including medivac flights, this data is not collated on the basis of the purpose of the flight.

I am however forwarding your request to daa to provide any information it has directly to you in respect of medivac operations from Dublin Airport. If a response is not received within 10 days, please contact my private office.