Calls to renovate old Cork Airport terminal as airline hub

Councillor says project 'could help regenerate not just the city, but the whole southern region' — but others are not so sure

The old terminal at Cork Airport which, councillors say, should be repurposed as an airline hub. File Picture: Denis Scannell

The old Cork Airport terminal should be renovated as an airline hub as part of a regional post-Covid-19 recovery strategy, city councillors were told last night.

They are now set to discuss calls for the Government to examine the idle building’s potential, some 15 years after it was decommissioned.

The issue was raised at last night’s meeting of Cork City Council, hours after airport management revealed the full impact of the Covid-19 crisis on its operations across 2020.

Passenger numbers plunged 80%, or over 2m people, in the full year to December 31, with just 530,000 people using the airport.

Management said traffic declined across all the geographical markets, with passenger volumes to and from southern Europe showing the biggest decrease, down 87% year on year, while western Europe was down 80%.

Passenger numbers to and from UK provincial cities were down 81%, while traffic to and from London decreased by 76%.

Independent councillor Paudie Dineen said the Government and DAA, which operates Cork Airport, need to examine the potential for renovating the airport’s old terminal building, for use as an airline hub, to help with the airport’s recovery.

“There is a chance to harness something here with this terminal building,” Mr Dineen said. 

"We need to ensure that we emerge from Covid-19 in the best shape we can. Renovating this building could help regenerate not just the city, but the whole southern region.

“It’s not about gifting the building to any one airline. It’s about putting it to good use for the benefit of the region.” 

Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent said the Government needs to do more to support the airport, while Fine Gael councillor Deirdre Forde said that given how long the building has lain idle, its potential should be examined.

“If they [the DAA] don’t want to use it for aviation, then maybe another agency may be able to use it,” she said.

But her party colleague Derry Canty described the repurposing of the old terminal as a “red herring”. He said it was decommissioned because it was outdated, and he called for further discussion on Mr Dineen’s proposal before the council makes any formal moves on the issue.

Green Party councillor Colette Finn said her party was opposed to the motion entirely.

We don’t believe in handing over a public asset to anyone — least of all Ryanair, which only recognised unions in 2017.

She said aviation is hugely dependent on fossil fuels, and the bottom line is that there are “no jobs on a dead planet”.

Workers Party councillor Ted Tynan said while the old terminal building should be used for something more positive, he opposes the idea of handing it over to Ryanair, given its attitude to public health measures and its current ‘jab and go’ advertising campaign.

“It’s insulting to public health experts here — Covid-19 is raging,” he said.

Mr Dineen’s motion has been referred back to the council’s strategic policy committee for further discussion.