Minister aims to create ‘new’ Shannon without delay

Such is the decline of Shannon Airport that Transport Minister Leo Varadkar wants to establish an independent airport, and not delay for a Government task force report, due by November.

Passenger traffic plummeted from 3.6m in 2007 to 1.6m last year, mainly due to the curtailment of Ryanair services.

The Government has decided to cut the airport free from the control of the Dublin Airport Authority, which will absorb Shannon Airport’s €100m debt.