Too early to assess pre-clearance impact – Hanafin

THE new Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mary Hanafin, has said it is too early to assess the impact of the US Customs and Border Protection pre-clearance facility at Shannon.
Speaking in the Dáil, she also said money is being spent on promoting Ireland as a tourism destination.
“The new pre-clearance facility in Shannon is only operational since August 2009 and it would be too soon to estimate its impact on tourism numbers in advance of its first full year of operation. With regard to the pre-clearance facility, as an island destination, direct, convenient and competitive access services are vital for our tourism industry and it is important, in the current challenging global climate, to help sustain strategically important capacity, routes and services,” she claimed.
“In that context, the new pre-clearance facility at Shannon will present an opportunity to help sustain existing air services and will also, in due course, help create opportunities for new routes and services. However, as the facility is primarily of benefit in terms of passengers leaving Ireland for the US, including transit passengers, it is not directly of benefit to all tourists,” she added.
The minister claimed that work is being done to make the advantages of Shannon known in relevant areas.
“I am advised that Tourism Ireland is committed to promoting the pre-clearance facility as part of its overall destination marketing campaigns and co-operative marketing activity with carriers. In addition, Shannon Development, as the regional tourism development body, is working with the national tourism agencies and Shannon Airport Authority on a number of initiatives to specifically promote the facility.
“These include a new website jointly funded by Shannon Development, Shannon Airport Authority, the Irish Hotels Federation and local trade to sell the advantages of the pre-clearance facility for airline charters, passengers and private jet users and a joint programme to identify and follow up with new potential aviation and tourism targets, including charter companies and tour operators, who would benefit from the new facility at Shannon International Airport.”
She said that money is being spent on promoting Ireland abroad.
“In terms of tourism marketing generally, €44.25 million is being provided this year for the Tourism Marketing Fund. This will allow Tourism Ireland to continue to promote the Mid-West vigorously and extensively through its ongoing global marketing activity and through specific, additional campaigns undertaken for the western regions in the US and, to a lesser extent, in Great Britain.”
Also in the Dáil, while responding to a question from Clare TD Pat Breen, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said that the development of a Lynx Cargo facility at Shannon is more of a concern for the DAA, than for his department.
“Responsibility for driving the development of the air freight sector lies primarily with the DAA, given its mandate with regard to the three State airports. This development will be primarily influenced by airlines’ assessment of market potential. Accordingly, commercial decisions on specific air services, such as air freight, are essentially matters for the airlines concerned.”
Deputy Breen had stated that the European Commission had indicated it would be supportive of the State investing in the proposed Lynx Cargo project at Shannon. However, the minister said he is “not aware” of such a decision.
He said that the DAA are looking at the situation. “My department has recently received the DAA’s evaluation of the business case for the project. The DAA has to operate to a commercial mandate and it does not have access to unlimited funds to undertake capital investment.
“Accordingly, consideration of the best way to support the project will take account of the extent of potential investment by the DAA on foot of its evaluation of the business case and any support that could be provided by the State, subject to compliance with EU State aid rules.”