Future of Galway Airport at stake without public funds

Date Published: {J}

By Denise McNamara

Galway Airport will have to draw up a new business plan which requires substantially less Government funding – or close.

That’s the stark warning from Fine Gael TD Brian Walsh after Transport Minister, Leo Varadkar indicated there was no new funding available to keep the six regional airports open.

Galway Airport insists that it needs €1.7m to cover its operating costs. In a last-ditch bid to persuade the Minister to continue the same level of State support, the Carnmore facility will focus on it being a vital access link for Galway’s cluster of multinationals and the income it generates in the local economy in its submission to the Department this week.

However Deputy Walsh said the airport should concentrate on drawing up a new business model and cutting costs further if it is to secure any more funding. Subsidies of €1.7m were out of the question, he reiterated.

Minister Varadkar met with the airport management on Friday to listen to their case for continuing with the subsidies. Yesterday (Monday), it was reported that whatever financial support he could raise within his department would go to the airports which are regarded as being “closer to viability” – namely Knock, Kerry and Donegal.

Galway Airport Managing Director Joe Walsh said it made no sense for the Government to discontinue its funding from an economic point of view.

“We are the third largest city in the country with significant clusters in live sciences, ICT and what’s likely to be a gaming cluster. We are part of the foreign direct investment toolkit, we are critical infrastructure in terms of multinationals,” he stressed.

“It’s been established by independent sources that there’s an economic impact associated with Galway Airport in excess of €31m based on 2009 figures. Another independent report attributes 17,000 jobs in the city and county to the access provided by Galway Airport.

“There’s no getting away from it, we are a cost to the exchequer, but by taking away air access it will take away jobs. It doesn’t make sense.”

For more, read this week’s Connacht Sentinel.