Business
Govt invest 27 million in Ireland Airport West Knock
By Annette Kearney
22, Feb 2007 - 22:55

The announcement today (21 Feb 2007) by Martin Cullen TD, Minster for Transport, of 27 million euro in funding for Ireland West Airport Knock under the new Capital Expenditure Grant Scheme for Regional Airports marks the single largest investment ever in the history of the airport. It comes as a major boost to driving the future growth and development of the airport and the region. The airport’s success in securing this level of investment forms part of its ambitious ongoing development plan which will see Ireland West Airport Knock further strengthen its position as the main international air access gateway for the West/North West and Midlands region. This was boosted recently by the announcement of its first ever scheduled transatlantic flights with flyglobespan to New York and Boston which will commence in May this year. The Airport has trebled its passenger numbers within the last four years and served over 20 flight destinations in 2006.

The funds, which will be drawn down over a four year period under the National Development Plan, will enable the Airport to further enhance safety and security systems, improve and expand facilities for aircraft handling and increase the size of the terminal building. This investment will form part of the Airport’s overall ˆ45.9 million capital investment programme and will underpin its goal of developing new short, medium and long haul international air routes and growing annual passenger numbers to over one million.

One of the key projects planned will be to improve the Airport’s landing systems including CAT II Instrumentation Landing Systems (ILS) which will enable aircraft to land in extreme weather conditions. In addition, new construction projects will include the expansion of the Airport’s aircraft parking area known as the apron, extension of the Airport’s security screening and departures lounge areas, and the upgrading of the airfield’s perimeter fencing.

Improvements to the Airport’s aircraft handling reliability and the other expansion projects will be strongly felt in the region as:-

• greater reliability will help the Airport connect to major cities and to provide long-haul services, thereby making the region far more accessible for business traffic from all over the world;
• more passengers will mean more tourists. It is now estimated that inbound tourists through the Airport will be spending in excess of 120 million euro per year in the region by 2010;
• more expansions mean more jobs regionally and locally. Airport activity will lead to 1,600 jobs in the region by 2010.

Commenting on the investment, Mr. Joseph Kennedy, Chairman, says: "We thank the Government, Minister Cullen and his Department of Transport officials who have worked with the Airport over many years to put this investment in place. Mr. Liam Scollan. Managing Director, stated "The Board and staff of the Airport view this investment as a true vote of confidence in Ireland West Airport Knock’s crucial importance for this region, for Connaught, Donegal, the Border counties to the North, and the Midland counties to the East.