Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara is accusing the Government of engaging in a “cynical PR exercise” by today announcing €6.3 million in funding for Shannon Airport, an announcement already made last November.
“The rehashing of a funding announcement from over five months ago is an insult to the 140,000 people employed in Ireland’s aviation sector who have repeatedly but unsuccessfully sought Government to produce a recovery plan for the sector,” stated Deputy McNamara.
“Today’s announcement of old news is a case of the Government buying time in the absence of any clear reopening strategy for our airports but this cynicism will not be not lost on management and workers at Shannon Airport, who are being asked to live on hope,” he added.
Deputy McNamara continued, “We have a larger aviation sector than most other European countries of our size and we are more reliant on-air connectivity than most other States, yet our Government has delayed any consideration of a recovery plan. As air travel resumes across Europe and North America, the Government’s continued delay in developing such a plan will have a significant impact on the broader economy, Foreign Direct Investment, tourism, and employment in the aviation sector itself and all the other sectors that rely on connectivity.”.
“Funding received from central Government can never compensate for a lack of a balanced aviation policy, which I have called for repeatedly in Dáil Éireann since the introduction of restrictions affecting our aviation sector. Shannon Airport needs a leg-up from the next Government more than it needs a hand-out,” concluded Deputy McNamara.