Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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334. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the new Regional Airports Programme 2026-2030; when it is expected to be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39700/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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335. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the total capital funding allocated to regional airports since 2010, broken down by year and by airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39701/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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336. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the breakdown of any Exchequer funding received by Cork Airport in each of the years since it was established, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39704/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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337. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the breakdown of any Exchequer funding received by Shannon Airport in each of the years since it was established, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39705/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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338. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the breakdown of any Exchequer funding received by Kerry Airport in each of the years since it was established, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39706/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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339. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the breakdown of any Exchequer funding received by Dublin Airport in each of the years since it was established, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39707/25]

Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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340. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the breakdown of any Exchequer funding received by Waterford Airport in each of the years since it was established, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39708/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 334 to 340, inclusive, together.

In relation to the detail being sought by the Deputy, I wish to advise that records are maintained by my Department for the period 2000-2025. Over this period, aviation supports totalling over €357 million have been provided to Irish airports, with additional funding to be drawn down throughout 2025.

This funding has been set out by year for each regional airport. However, due to the large volume of data in tabular form, my private office will provide this directly to the Deputy.

As requested by the Deputy, the following is a summary of the funding provided to Kerry and Waterford Airports:

Kerry Airport (€36 million)

Over €36 million in grant aid was provided to Kerry Airport over the period 2000-2025. This funding was allocated as follows:

Regional Airports Programme

Almost €32.7 million was provided under the Regional Airports Programme and other related grant schemes. This programme supports Ireland’s smallest regional airports, those that provide scheduled passenger services and handle fewer than one million passengers (on average over the two preceding financial years).

This funding has supported essential safety and security related projects and activities at the airport over this period. In addition, since 2021 projects with a sustainability focus, encouraging airports to reduce emissions and build climate resilience have also been supported.

A further €1.8 million was allocated to Kerry airport under this programme in 2025, with further operational funding to be allocated by years end.

COVID Supplementary Support Scheme for Irish Airports

In addition, in recognition of the very difficult circumstances faced by Irish airports during COVID-19 and taking account of the recommendations of the Taskforce for Aviation Recovery, a further unprecedented €1.8 million was allocated to Kerry Airport in 2021 under an EU State Aid approved COVID Supplementary Support Scheme for Irish Airports. This funding compensated the smaller regional airports, like Kerry Airport, for the damage caused to it by COVID-19.

Waterford Airport (€27 million)

Almost €27 million in grant aid was provided to Waterford Airport over the period 2000-2020. This funding was allocated as follows:

Regional Airports Programme

Over €25 million was provided under regional airports programmes and other related grant schemes. Like Kerry Airport, this funding has supported essential safety and security related projects and activities at the airport over this period.

Emergency Subvention

The Deputy may be aware that following a steady decline in passenger traffic, scheduled passenger services at the airport ceased in 2016. With the absence of scheduled passenger services, Waterford Airport is no longer eligible for supports under the Regional Airports Programme. Without scheduled passenger services Waterford Airport’s operations fail to meet the connectivity objective associated with Government policy on funding of regional airports.

However, in recognition of the financial challenges faced by Waterford Airport in recent years, emergency operational subvention totalling €1.5 million was provided by my Department over the period 2018-2020. This funding was provided on an exceptional basis, to allow time for airport management to consider future options for the airport.

State Airports – Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports (€189 million)

In relation to Exchequer funding to State airports, the Deputy may be aware that Shannon, Cork and Dublin State-owned airports have a commercial mandate and are expected to rely on their own resources. Pre COVID-19, it had been Government policy that State-owned airports operate on a fully commercial basis with no recourse to Exchequer funding. However, in recognition of the very difficult circumstances also faced by Irish State airports over €189 million was provided to these airports over the period 2020-2024. This funding was allocated as follows:

COVID-19 Regional State Airports Programme 2021 (€28 million)

In 2021 over €28 million was provided under a COVID-19 Regional State Airports Programme. 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 totalling almost €12 million to Shannon Airport and almost €17 million to Cork Airport. This one-year programme mirrored the focus and objectives of the Regional Airports Programme.

Regional Airports Programme 2021-2025 (€39 million)

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. Shannon Airport also remined eligible under that programme in 2023, while Cork Airport did not. Shannon Airport benefited from over €23 million in supports under this programme, while Cork Airport benefited from almost €16 million.

COVID Supplementary Support Scheme for Irish Airports (€111 million)

In addition, Shannon and Cork airports received €5.5 million and €8.4 million respectively under the COVID Supplementary Support Scheme for Irish Airports. Dublin Airport also received €97.2 million under this Scheme, which allocated funding proportionate to passenger traffic across State airports. While funding under this scheme had compensated the smaller regional airports (Donegal, Kerry and Ireland West) for the damage caused to them by COVID-19, funding allocated to State airports, provided them with the flexibility to roll out route incentives and charge rebates, in consultation with airlines.

Emergency Funding (€7 million)

Further emergency supports were provided to Shannon Airport at the onset of COVID-19. Almost €7 million in emergency capital supports were provided to support vital Embankments works as well as the completion of a Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) project.

Regional State Airports Sustainability Programme (€4 million)

In addition, further to an action under the Mid-term Review of the Regional Airports Programme, Shannon and Cork airports were allocated combined funding of €4.2 million in 2024 under a new Regional State Airports Sustainability Programme. This funding, the objective of which is to support these airports in meeting their carbon emission reduction targets under the Climate Action Plan, includes support for the development of Solar PV Farms. These projects, when complete this year, will provide up to 25% of these airport’s current electrical demand from renewable energy.

This substantial targeted Exchequer funding provided by my Department to this sector has supported connectivity, with overall passenger traffic across Irish airports in 2024 4% above 2023 levels and 7% above 2019 levels, the last comparable period prior to COVID-19. I was pleased to see further growth this year with overall passenger traffic up 4% to end June, when compared to the same period last year.

I wish to assure the Deputy that the Programme for Government commits to continue to invest in regional airports and to develop a new Regional Airports Programme 2026-2030. This new Programme is being progressed by my Department as a matter of priority this year.