Shannon Airport a major election issue

2010 was the quietest year yet at Shannon Airport, according to Irish Aviation Authority statistics for commercial flights, which go back as far as 1997. The number of commercial flights last year was only slightly more than half the 2007 figure and with the airport having played a vital role in Clare’s economy for decades, it’s hardly surprising that it’s an important issue for Dáil hopefuls.

The last few years have been difficult for the airport, with the temporary loss of the strategically vital Heathrow slots, followed by a Ryanair decision to axe most of its services leading to serious concern.
While opposition parties have slated Fianna Fáil’s approach to Shannon, outgoing TD Timmy Dooley said he hasn’t been getting stick on the doorsteps about it.
“Not noticeably to be honest. I think people are interested in the future and how the airport is going to continue to play a major role as an economic driver for the Mid-West. Everyone recognises that the Government has done a lot for the region by investing in the road network, the Limerick tunnel, the Ennis bypass and the Gort bypass. These were all things that were looked for from Government and were delivered. There was a €20 million investment in the customs and border protection facility. People are very mindful that there has been a huge level of investment in Shannon and, of course, there is a fall-off in activity right now because we are in the middle of the biggest recession since the 1930s.”
A report earlier this year from the Department of Transport recommended removing supports to several of Shannon’s smaller competing airports and Mr Dooley said this needs to be done. “I think the way of the future has to be to reduce or eliminate the subvention to the airports along the western seaboard and to concentrate on building Shannon. That hasn’t been done and I think it needs to be done.”
Labour’s Michael McNamara said the public is very much in tune with the importance of Shannon Airport. “I’d say along with health and jobs it’s the most prevalent issue but, of course, Shannon and its future is tied into the prospects for employment in Clare.”
He said his party leader’s support for the airport is a matter of record. “Eamon Gilmore stated explicitly when he came to Shannon that we would be supporting a cargo hub and its exactly the type of project which the strategic investment bank, which Labour is proposing, would be funding.”
Shannon’s future is a bigger issue now than it was last time out, according to Fine Gael’s Pat Breen. “It’s more important because since ’07 a lot of flights are gone from the airport and 30% of the business was lost last year. It’s a fierce important issue,” he commented.
Some long-term thinking regarding Shannon is needed, he added, while he acknowledged that the withdrawal of supports to competing airports may be important. “I’ve always said that we need a five-year plan in place, supported by the Department of Transport. The other airports will be under extreme pressure in the future with the PSOs going.”
Shannon badly needs promotion abroad, he added. “I was talking to a couple the other day in Kilmaley, who are now living in New York. They said that people in New York think there are no flights into Shannon because Aer Lingus aren’t serving the route for January, February and March. We need to market the airport because most people want to visit the West of Ireland and if people are coming through Dublin we lose the car hire, the hotel nights, the business in restaurants, all these things that are very important to Clare.”