Over €11m in direct Exchequer supports has been announced for Donegal, Kerry, Ireland West (Knock) and Shannon airports as part of the Regional Airports Programme 2021-2025.
The new funding targets support at vital safety and security operations at the airports such as air traffic control, fire services and security, and ensures that airports can continue to remain compliant with regulatory requirements in these areas.
Minister of State at the Department of Transport Jack Chambers said that Donegal Airport will get €0.721m in new funding, while Kerry will get €1.423m, Ireland West will receive €1.869m and Shannon Airport has secured €7.172m of the funding under a total allocation of €11.185m - an increase of 4.5% on last year.
The new funding is in addition to the €16.63m in capital supports announced earlier this year.
It will see a total of €28m in funding being dispersed to Irish regional airports this year, which Minister Chambers said demonstrated the Government's continued commitment to the sector.
"Ireland's connectivity to the rest of the world is essential for our continued economic development, attracting and sustaining foreign direct investment, facilitating tourism while also keeping us connected with friends and family abroad," Jack Chambers said.
"With this in mind, I am delighted to see that with these Exchequer supports, overall passenger traffic at regional airports up to end October this year has shown a 9% increase, when compared to the same period in 2019," he added.
The mid-term review of the Regional Airports Programme is due for completion shortly.
Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, said the inclusion of Shannon Airport in the Regional Airports Programme over the past few years has been invaluable in supporting its efforts to grow air connectivity, which is so vital for the business and leisure industries across the West of Ireland.
"We know that if Shannon Airport were included permanently in the Regional Airports Programme, we can achieve even more for the people of our region while supporting the Government's ambition to achieve balanced regional development," Ms Considine said.
The mid-term review of the Regional Airports Programme is looking at how the scheme is delivering on its objectives of supporting balanced regional development and how international connectivity and services, to and from the regions can be maintained and enhanced.
