Business
Minister Dempsey visits Ireland West Airport Knock
By Bryana Hindle
2, Nov 2007 - 19:33

Pictured left to Right: Mr Liam Scollan, Group Managing Director Ireland West Airport Knock, Minister for Transport Mr Noel Dempsey TD, Monsignor Quinn, Board Member Ireland West Airport Knock and Parish Priest of Knock, Mr Des Mahon, Board Member Ireland West Airport Knock and County Manager Mayo, and Mr Liam Daly, Principal Officer Department of Transport. Photo: Keith Heneghan.

Noel Dempsey TD, Minster for Transport, was given a tour today (2nd Nov 2007) of the first of Ireland West Airport Knock’s major projects to be completed as part of its €46 million infrastructural investment,  €27.1 million of which has been grant aided under the Government’s Capital Expenditure Grant Scheme for Regional Airports. The announcement of Government funding in February earlier this year marked the single largest investment programme ever in the history of the Airport.  The Minister was met by Board Members Monsignor Quinn, Parish Priest of Knock, and Mr Des Mahon, County Manager Mayo, Mr Dara Calleary, TD, Mr Liam Scollan, Group Managing Director – Ireland West Airport Knock, and Mr Robert Grealis, CEO – Ireland West Airport Knock.

Pictured left to Right: Mr Liam Scollan, Group Managing Director Ireland West Airport Knock, Mr Pearse Concannon, Head of Emergency Services Ireland West Airport Knock, Mr Pat English, Frank Harrington Ltd, Monsignor Quinn, Board Member Ireland West Airport Knock and Parish Priest of Knock, Mr Tomás Grimes, Property Manager Ireland West Airport Knock, Mr John Duggan, Resident Engineer Ireland West Airport Knock, Mr Jimmy Devins TD, Mr Gabriel Johnson, Head of Maintenance Ireland West Airport Knock, Mr Dara Calleary TD, Minister for Transport Mr Noel Dempsey TD, Mr Frank Harrington, Frank Harrington Ltd, Mr Seamus Weir, Chairman Mayo County Council, Carmel Kilcoyne, Operations Manager Ireland West Airport Knock, and Mr John O’Mahony TD. Photo: Keith Heneghan

The project involved the construction of Perimeter Fencing and an Inspection Road which commenced on 2nd May this year and was completed three weeks ahead of schedule and under budget in August. This project is a key airfield safety enhancement required by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation). It is also required to contribute to the Airport’s attainment of Category II Instrumentation Landing Systems (CAT II ILS) status which will enhance the reliability of the Airport in poor weather and low visibility conditions and improve the certainty of operations.

Pictured left to Right: Mr Liam Scollan, Group Managing Director Ireland West Airport Knock and Minister for Transport Mr Noel Dempsey TD. Photo Keigth Heneghan.

Commenting on the project, Minister Noel Dempsey, T.D., said: “The construction of this Perimeter Fencing & Inspection Road ahead of schedule and under budget demonstrates the significant work being undertaken by Liam Scollan, Robert Grealis and their staff in developing Ireland West Airport Knock and the region.”

Pictured left to Right: Mr Jimmy Devins TD, Mr Liam Scollan, Group Managing Director Ireland West Airport Knock and Minister for Transport Mr Noel Dempsey TD. Photo: Keith Heneghan.

Robert Grealis, CEO Ireland West Airport Knock said: “We thank the Government, Minister Dempsey and his Department of Transport officials for this investment, as well as the many local Government representatives for their consistently strong support of the Airport throughout the years.  We thank our main contractor, Frank Harrington Ltd., as well as our own staff who have worked with great enthusiasm and vigor to complete the project on time and within budget. We also congratulate the Minister on the completion of the Charlestown By-Pass which will improve road access to our Airport. These investments come as a major boost for driving the future growth and development of the Airport and the region, allowing us to further strengthen our position as the fourth international airport and the main international air access gateway for the West/North West and Midlands region.”

Pictured left to Right: Mr Dara Calleary TD, Mr Liam Scollan, Group Managing Director Ireland West Airport Knock, Mr Jimmy Devins TD, Minister for Transport Mr Noel Dempsey TD, Monsignor Quinn, Board Member Ireland West Airport Knock and Parish Priest of Knock, Mr Robert Grealis, CEO Ireland West Airport Knock, Mr Des Mahon, Board Member Ireland West Airport Knock and County Manager Mayo, and Mr Liam Daly, Principal Officer Department of Transport. Photo: Keith Heneghan.

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 €46 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.

Pictured left to Right: Mr Liam Scollan, Group Managing Director Ireland West Airport Knock, Minister for Transport Mr Noel Dempsey TD, Mr Jimmy Devins TD, Mr Dara Calleary TD and Mr Robert Grealis, CEO Ireland West Airport Knock. Photo: Keith Heneghan.

1. Priority Capital Investment Projects for Ireland West Airport Knock

Ireland West Airport Knock is acting to deliver new capacity to meet the needs of the traveling public as well as the existing and new airlines using the Airport. After three consecutive years of record growth, facilities at Ireland West Airport Knock have not kept pace with the huge growth in passenger numbers, which in 2006 reached over 621,000. The ultimate result of these projects is that it will increase the choices of destinations available as the Airport attracts additional flight services and airlines.

The benefits of projects to be invested in will include that they will a) Raise the potential capacity handing to over one million passengers per annum b) Enable the Airport to continue to grow for the next three years; c) Provide new and improved security screening areas and aircraft handling; d) Provide enhanced safety systems to the runway and airfield and e) Improve passenger experiences and impressions of the main international access hub for the BMW region.

The following projects are the priority projects for co-funding under the Capital Expenditure Grant Scheme for Regional Airports and are due to commence in 2007:-

 i. Apron extension (Phase I)
An apron is the area which accommodates aircraft for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers, mail or cargo, fuelling, parking or maintenance. The current apron at Ireland West Airport Knock was originally designed to accommodate two aircraft operating independently in a self manoeuvring mode. Apron congestion has become a major issue in 2006, aircraft movements increased to over 10,000 per annum for the first time with a further 17% growth projected for 2007. There is now a requirement to provide additional apron space to facilitate the demand for a greater number of aircraft on the ground simultaneously.

This project will double the apron capacity through the development of two additional aircraft stands whist improving customer service by ensuring all aircraft park adjacent to the terminal. In addition, some repair work to the existing apron will take place and safety enhancements to protect against jet blast will also be implemented.

 ii. CAT II ILS (Instrumentation Landing System) on Runway 27
This project is to implement Instrumentation Landing Systems to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Category II standards (better known as CAT III ILS) on Runway 27 in order to enhance the precision approaches by aircraft landing at Ireland West Airport Knock.

The major benefits of CAT II implementation will be to reduce the possibility of diversions due to poor weather and low visibility conditions thus increasing the reliability of the Airport and the certainty of operations.

 iii. Perimeter Fencing & Inspection Road Construction (COMPLETED)

The project involves the construction of an inspection road and fence around the perimeter of the Airport. This project is a key airfield safety enhancement required by ICAO and is also required to attain CAT II ILS status.

 iv. Runway End Safety Areas and Turnpads Enhancements

This project will involve a major upgrade to the runway at Ireland West Airport Knock by extending the existing runway end safety areas at both ends of the runway and increasing the aircraft turning circles for both Runway 27 and Runway 09. 

 v. Terminal Building Expansion
This project will involve an extension to the existing terminal to provide additional departures lounge space, a new security screening area, new departure gates for the new apron and enhancements to the baggage sorting facility in addition to other works. The extension has been designed to cope with the projected design hour capacities needed to manage one million passengers per annum.

2. Airport Contribution

Ireland West Airport Knock has made very significant contributions to the access and development of its region. Recent analysis by Goodbody Economic Consultants shows that in 2005, the Airport supported 175 jobs on site and 786 jobs in the region; stimulated tourism spend of circ. €62 million and returned circ. €10 million to government in tax and PRSI from the totality of its activities.

3. Government Investment To Date

To date, a total of €19.4 million has been invested by Government in the Airport since it opened in 1986, of which over €13 million was provided for the initial land, buildings and runway.