Budget allocation for Shannon Airport “utterly inadequate” – McNamara

Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara says the €10m allocated to Cork and Shannon in Budget 2021 is “utterly inadequate” to compensate the airports for the Government’s decision to shut down the Irish aviation sector.

He said, “Aviation is one of Ireland’s largest sectors, yet the Government has chosen to shut it down in a way that no other European country has done.”

Deputy McNamara added, “Clarity is required around the exact breakdown and conditionality of this funding given that it is to be shared between two airports. Shannon Group alone is facing weekly revenue losses of €1.3m and is expecting annual revenue for 2020 to be down by 80%, and as Group CEO Mary Considine told me last week, the airport’s costs have not substantially reduced.”

“The Government’s track record on providing money to Shannon Group doesn’t inspire confidence. We saw great fanfare around the announcement of €2.6m in funding for Shannon Heritage but it has since transpired that only €550,000 is being provided,” concluded Deputy McNamara.