Limerick Chamber has said that Ireland’s aviation policy must focus on maintaining competition and increasing connectivity to support economic growth and job creation. The call was made in a submission by Limerick Chamber to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport’s consultation on ‘An Integrated Irish Aviation Policy’.
Speaking this morning Órlaith Borthwick, Limerick Chamber Economist, said, “The contribution of Ireland’s aviation sector in terms of tourism, supporting economic growth and job creation is vital. The potential to increase this contribution is significant. Shannon airport plays a key role in supporting businesses in the Limerick and greater region; connecting firms to suppliers, customers and new business, and access to European and international markets which can be nurtured and developed to achieve further economic progress.”
“Preserving Ireland’s Heathrow slots is vital to guaranteeing access to routes serving locations not linked to Ireland directly. This is especially significant given the major consolidation of airline companies in Europe into a relatively small number of companies each dominating major airport hubs such as Frankfurt, Schiphol and Paris. This consolidation will constrain connection options to these major hubs in the future.”
“Similarly, there is a strong case for the further development of dedicated cargo terminals in Ireland. Ireland can grow its potential in the air cargo market by making a number of relatively basic improvements. Improved facilities, to include FDA approved ‘cold chain’ containers and storage, would support Ireland’s position as a favoured destination for Pharma investments. In addition, the expansion of US preclearance to include cargo would enhance the competitiveness of Ireland vis-á-vis other locations in Europe seeking to service the North American market.”
“By tackling these issues, and others outlined in the submission, an integrated aviation policy has the potential to support job creation, enhance foreign direct investment, strengthen the domestic economy by facilitating access to new customers and suppliers, as well as supporting tourism traffic,” she concluded.
Limerick Chamber’s full submission and recommendations are available to download here
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