Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 16 Apr 2003

Vol. 565 No. 4

Written Answers. - Regional Airports.

Tony Killeen

Question:

162 Mr. Killeen asked the Minister for Transport his plans to ensure that marketing funds made available to the regional airport are not deployed to the benefit of the shareholders of a company (details supplied) as in the case with the Frankfurt Hahn flight recently transferred from Shannon airport to Kerry; his plans to deal with similar poaching following the break up of Aer Rianta; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11332/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

My Department provides grants to the six regional airports towards the costs of marketing, safety and security measures at those airports. I recently allocated €2.24 million under this grant scheme for 2003 as follows:

Airport	Allocation for 2003
	€
Donegal	280,000
Galway	230,000
Kerry	400,000
Knock	400,000
Sligo	280,000
Waterford	650,000
Total	2,240,000

The marketing element of this scheme is designed to assist the regional airports in their efforts to attract new air services and to maintain their existing services. It is a matter for the authorities in the regional airports concerned to decide how best to spend their allocations under the marketing, safety and security grant scheme. Waterford airport does not have a PSO service and the additional grant aid for that airport is to enable it to undertake additional marketing, with a view to attracting commercial air services.

Depending on how the Government decides to give effect to the provision in the programme for Government in relation to greater autonomy and independence for Shannon and Cork airports, it may be necessary to amend the Aviation Regulation Act 2001 to give the regulator a greater degree of flexibility in relation to airport charges at Shannon and Cork airports and to give the regulator a role in relation to airport charges levied by the individual regional airports. These are complex issues which will need to be considered carefully by my Department.

Whatever regulatory mechanisms are decided upon for the future in relation to airport charges, it will be important to ensure as far as possible that a fair competitive environment exists having regard to the scale of operations at the smaller regional airports and to the level of Exchequer support for such airports going forward.

Question No. 163 answered with Question No. 153.