asked the Minister for Transport if he has given a commitment in principle to the establishment of an international airport in County Mayo; if so, (i) the proposed location, (ii) the length of runway to be provided and (iii) the estimated cost of the airport and ancillary facilities; and if he will outline his views on the viability of an international airport in Connaught.
Written Answers. - Mayo Airport.
368.
I would refer the Deputy to the press release issued in relation to this matter on 25 September 1980, the text of which is given below. A working group has been set up under the aegis of the Department of Transport to undertake the evaluation of all the relevant aspects mentioned in the press release and that work is proceeding.
The following is the text of the press release:
Approval for Co. Mayo Airport
Mr. Padraig Flynn, T. D., Minister of State at the Department of Transport, has announced approval in principle for the development of an airport in Co. Mayo to cater for current and future Western needs, including particularly pilgrimage traffic for Knock Shrine. Mr. Flynn made this announcement after a meeting with a deputation led by Monsignor James P. Horan, Parish Priest of Knock, Co. Mayo, in connection with proposals for the development of airport facilities to serve Knock and the Connaught region generally.
The deputation was accompanied by Mr. K. Holden of Transport Analysis International Ltd., Shannon, whose company had carried out an assessment of the feasibility of developing a Regional Airport to serve Connaught.
As a result of earlier discussions between the Minister of State, Mr. Flynn, and Monsignor Horan, representatives from the Technical Services of the Department of Transport had visited Mayo and carried out preliminary inspections of a number of sites which had been identified locally as being suitable for airport development purposes. The meeting reviewed the outcome of these technical inspections and went on to discuss broader issues affecting the cost and viability of the project. Further detailed examination of these aspects is to be undertaken in order to establish the nature of the facilities to be provided and the scale of operations that would be appropriate.
Mr. Flynn said that he was extremely pleased to be in a position to convey this approval in principle and he congratulated Monsignor Horan and the other members of the deputation who had undertaken the preliminary work. He was satisfied that the development of the proposed airport would confer significant benefits on the region in terms of industrial development, the growth of pilgrimage traffic to Knock and the facilitation of tourism in Mayo and the adjoining counties. It would represent a major step in the improvement of accessibility to the West of Ireland which had been handicapped in the past by transport and communications difficulties. He believed that with the continued increase in our population and the resumption and acceleration of economic growth and taking account also of the tremendous potential for mariculture development along the western seaboard, there would be an increased role in the future for air services to regional centres, with connections to the three existing international airports at Dublin, Shannon and Cork.