Sinn Féin TDs from Clare, Limerick City and Tipperary yesterday held an online meeting with the CEO of the Shannon Group to discuss the huge challenges facing Shannon Airport in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking after the meeting, Violet-Anne Wynne TD said: “As a group of Sinn Féin TDs in the Mid-West, this week we held an online meeting with the CEO of the Shannon Group, Mary Considine, to convey our party’s support in bringing forward solutions to help Shannon as we emerge out of this Covid-19 shutdown.”
“Unsurprisingly the challenges the Airport now face are huge, both financial and logistically, given the total shutdown of international flights and tourism as a whole on the island.”
“Shannon Airport acts as a vital gateway for tourism and business coming into Clare and the wider Mid-west and also offers citizens here with great connectivity to swathes of the world.”
“We need to protect it and grow passenger numbers to ensure it can continue to operate successfully, in a post-Covid world.”
“Unusually we had to hold this meeting on Zoom, but considering the huge importance of Shannon to this region, we wanted to meet with the CEO as soon as possible, to begin to discuss ways we can help.”
“The incoming government, whoever it may involve, including should my own party be in Government Buildings, must ensure that the financial support is given to our airports to ensure the doors remain open and flights will continue when this pandemic ends,” Deputy Wynne added.