The Department of Transport presented an opportunity for Limerick Chamber to submit their members’ views on the issues paper for the ‘Mid-term Review of the Regional Airports Programme 2021-2025’. While the opportunity was welcomed, the Chamber and their members have provided recommendations and issues that should be addressed as part of the RAP which they believe will better facilitate enterprise and more balanced regional development.
Seán Golden, Chief Economist of Limerick Chamber, says:
The Regional Airports Programme has historically been administered to private regional airports with under 1 million annual passengers. However, EU guidelines allow the Programme to be administered to airports with up to 3 million annual passengers – bringing Shannon and Cork into eligibility. Limerick Chamber’s submission to the Department of Transport outlines that there is scope to extend the programme to all airports under 3 million, which will allow more of a level playing field between private and public airports.
The Regional Airports Programme should be used as a mechanism for not only achieving the population distribution goals in Project Ireland 2040 but also to support existing and future enterprise in the region.
The Regional Airports Programme is critical in supporting European Air connectivity, especially from a Mid-West perspective, by funding a PSO route from Shannon to Amsterdam or Frankfurt. Being an island nation, we are reliant on air travel to increase connectivity to European neighbours and since the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union there is a lack of connectivity to a European Hub with diverse onward connectivity.
Our submission will feed into an issues paper for the Department’s work on their Mid-Term review of the programme with another consultation to follow in the coming year.
Limerick Chamber is the largest business representation organisation in the Mid-West boasting a membership of 400 businesses and over 50,000 employees. Limerick Chamber represents a wide array of businesses across the region from local retailers, indigenous exporters to Multinational Corporations and everything in between.
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