Regional Airports Closures

Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Questions (178)

Timmy Dooley

Question:

178. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of State funding for Galway Airport; for Sligo Airport; and the programmes under which funding was provided, for example, capital expenditure, operation expenditure, public service obligation funding, between 2000 and 2012, in tabular form. [39742/15]

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Written answers

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

Exchequer support was provided under the Regional Airports Programme to Galway and Sligo airports through the Operational Expenditure Subvention Scheme (OPEX) and the Capital Expenditure Grants Scheme (CAPEX). Exchequer support was also provided through a Scheme for subventing Public Service Obligations (PSO) air services operating between Galway and Dublin and Sligo and Dublin, which was paid directly to the operating airlines.

Expenditure under these three Schemes for the years 2000 to 2012 is set out in the following table:

Amount of funding for Galway and Sligo Airport between 2000 and 2012 (€'000)

OPEX (€'000)	2012	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002	2001	2000
Galway	0	2,309	1,799	962	1,200	859	678	280	280	230	230	254	159
Sligo	0	387	395	313	0	9	231	255	255	280	230	254	126
Total	0	2,696	2,194	1,275	1,200	868	909	535	535	510	460	508	285

CAPEX (€'000)	2012	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002	2001	2000
Galway	0	222	90	454	1,050	674	0	692	1,276	945	728	288	259
Sligo	0	238	0	85	113	304	124	56	9	239	470	181	0
Total	0	460	90	539	1,163	978	124	748	1,285	1,184	1,198	469	259

PSO* (€'000)	2012	2011	2010	2009	2008	2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002	2001	2000
Galway	0	2,190	3,356	3,287	3,297	3,004	2,977	4,774	5,634	5,105	4,600	3,999	1,364
Sligo/ Donegal	0	4,145	5,736	5,473	5,246	5,235	5,051	4,890	4,800	4,818	2,681	2,725	874

*Note: For the years 2003 to 2011 inclusive, the Sligo/Dublin PSO route was operated together with the Donegal/Dublin PSO route under a single contract. The figures in the PSO Table above for each of these years is the total contract cost of operating both of these routes.