Third of state funding to regional airports to go in 4-year plan

THE future of regional airports including Galway, Kerry, Donegal and Knock is in doubt with more than a third of state support to be slashed under the four year plan published last week.

Cuts of €5.5 million to regional airport support will come from the €15m Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes, the Department of Transport confirmed.

The move is likely to pile pressure on backbencher Fianna Fáil TDs as regional airports have warned that PSO cuts could force them to close down, costing hundreds of jobs and damaging regional developments.