TDs Introduce Private Members Motion Over Crisis Facing Irish Airports
A group of 15 Independent TDs will introduce a Private Members Motion to the Dáil tomorrow (10:00am-midday, Wednesday, 11 November 2020) seeking a range of Government interventions to offset “the imminent crisis facing Irish airports”, in particular Shannon, Knock, Kerry, Donegal and Cork airports. The group, comprising members of the Independent, Rural Independent and Regional Independent groupings, is calling on the Government to:• implement in full the recommendations of the Aviation Recovery Taskforce• prepare a new national aviation policy that recognises the importance of regional connectivity to balanced and more sustainable regional development• revise Fáilte Ireland objectives to include attracting tourists to fly directly into the State’s regional airports• develop a testing regime for passengers to and from both Orange and Red listed destinations in the EU in order to fully implement the spirit of the recent European Council Recommendation on a co-ordinated approach to the restriction of free movement…
Independent TDs Meet Shannon Airport Management
Independent TDs from across the west of Ireland are calling for a range of urgent State supports for Shannon Airport after Shannon Group updated them on how business operations at Shannon Heritage and Shannon Airport have been “decimated” as a result of Covid. In a meeting today with Mary Considine (CEO, Shannon Group) and Ray O’Driscoll (Chief Operating Officer, Shannon Group), Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent Group), Noel Grealish (Galway West, Regional Independent Group), Richard O’Donoghue (Limerick County, Rural Independent Group) and Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon Galway, Independent Group) were informed that Shannon Group is facing weekly revenue losses of €1.3m and is expecting annual revenue for 2020 to be down by 80%. The TDs were also told that Shannon Airport anticipates 350,000 passengers in 2020, down from 1.8m passengers in 2019. The TDs gave a commitment to Shannon Group to meet with the Taoiseach, Minister for Transport and airline representatives with…
Independent TDs call for urgent Government action on Shannon Airport
A group of Independent TDs from across the West of Ireland have issued a joint statement calling on Government to ensure connectivity from North America and Heathrow to Shannon Airport, and to implement fully the recommendations of the Aviation Recovery Taskforce in support of economic recovery across the region. The group is seeking a meeting with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Transport to impress upon them the urgency of the situation in the aviation sector and its effect across the entire economy. The TDs will also seek to meet Aer Lingus, Ryanair and the Shannon Group to ascertain what Government actions are required to maintain connectivity at Shannon which is important to their constituencies from Malin Head to Mizen Head. The TDs have expressed their concern over the potential transfer of Aer Lingus aircraft serving routes to the US from Shannon Airport to alternative UK airports and its delay…
Clare tourism group issues Open Letter to Taoiseach over Shannon Airport
The Clare Tourism Recovery Taskforce, a business group comprising representatives of the Clare tourism and hospitality sector, has warned that almost 9,000 tourism jobs could be lost in County Clare this year In an Open Letter to Taoiseach Micheal Martin, the Taskforce is requesting urgent Government supports to Shannon Airport. The group says the decision by Delta and United Airlines not to resume flights from Shannon Airport in 2021 and the potential transfer of Aer Lingus aircraft serving routes to the US and UK away from Shannon Airport will have “significant and long-lasting negative consequences” for the tourism sector across County Clare and the wider Mid-West Region. “In Clare, tourism makes a vital economic contribution to our local economy. Up until recently, it supported 12,000 jobs and generated €266m in local tourism revenues annually. An estimated 8,800 tourism jobs in Clare (nearly 75%) are now at risk this year. “We…