Cork and Shannon airports to get funding boost to ease Covid hit
Ryanair flight FR7681 departs London Luton from the newly refurbished runway 16 at Cork Airport. The airport is to receive €13.7m in extra Government funding, bringing its total allocation for 2021 to €25.1m. Picture: Cian O'Regan
Cork Airport is to receive €13.7m in extra Government funding, bringing its total allocation for 2021 to €25.1m.
Almost €108m in direct exchequer supports are to be made to Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Knock (IWAK), Kerry, and Donegal airports.
Shannon has received an extra €10.1m, bringing its total to €23.6m, while Kerry has received €2.2m.
Announcing the funding, junior transport minister Hildegarde Naughton said she fully recognised the impact that Covid has had on regional airports.
"This will go a long way towards enabling these airports to remain financially sustainable as they move beyond this current crisis and into 2022," she said.
"This funding will continue to compensate airports for the damage caused as a result of Covid and I am pleased to say that our smaller regional airports of Donegal, Knock, and Kerry are being fully compensated for the damage caused by Covid to the maximum amounts allowable under this scheme," added Ms Naughton.
Dublin Airport will receive €79m, bringing its total allocation to €97.2m, while Knock and Donegal airports have been awarded €1.9m and €0.6m respectively.
The announcement is in addition to almost €29m in capital grants already allocated to these airports this year and brings the total funding allocated by the Government to airports this year to €160m.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet has also approved €94.5m in funding for improvements to the rail network. Part of the work will cut journey times between Cork and Dublin by eight to 10 minutes.
The vast majority of the funding, some €91.5m, will be spent on improving the Cork to Dublin line.
The funding will also “enhance the climate resilience of the rail network” and will see minor upgrades to the Limerick Junction/Waterford line.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said the Government has made a clear commitment to public transport in the Programme for Government and the National Development Plan. He said the funding will provide an enhanced passenger service which will encourage more people to switch from car to rail.
“We are demonstrating our commitment to mainline rail services, both of which will help us achieve our climate goals," said Mr Ryan.
Mr Ryan also brought forward an Annex of Actions to support the delivery of Climate Action Plan 2021, which commits Ireland to a legally binding target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions no later than 2050, and a reduction of 51% by 2030.
The Taoiseach brought a progress report on the implementation of climate actions which has found that of the 82 measures targeted for quarter three of this year, just 39% were completed. This is the lowest quarterly delivery rate and brings the overall completion of measures to 66%.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet approved the already flagged €100 credit towards electricity bills early next year.
In a lengthy agenda, ministers signed off on six new postal stamp designs featuring Irish women in sport, which will be issued to mark International Women's Day next year.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney brought 22 ambassadorial and senior-level international appointments for 2022 to Cabinet.
Minister of state, senator Pippa Hackett, secured approval to bring about changes to the Forestry Act 2014 and to make it easier to plant small areas of native trees.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
