Sinn Féin councillor for Shannon, Donna McGettigan, has welcomed comments by the CEO of the Shannon Airport Group who has said there exists spare capacity at the airport which can take pressure off Dublin Airport.

Speaking today, Cllr. McGettigan said:

“There is massive pressure on Dublin Airport at present but the good news is that Shannon is open for business, and I very much welcome comments from the CEO of the Airport Group today which reflect this.

“Ensuring a balance of economic development and tourism is extremely important, and if more airlines take the opportunity to utilise the capacity that exists in Shannon, investment will follow.

“As a local representative for the Shannon area, I want to commend the work of the Airport Group in bringing more passengers to the airport in recent years, and I look forward to working with them into the future.”

Sinn Féin MEP for Ireland South, Kathleen Funchion, has said that utiltising spare capacity at Shannon Airport is a ‘no-brainer’, highlighting the fact that other airports in Munster – namely Cork and Farranfore – can assist in easing pressure on Dublin.

She said:

“Successive governments have ignored the massive imbalance between Dublin Airport and other airports throughout the State. Both Shannon and Cork have significant unused capacity.

“The government still seems hell-bent on pitting Dublin Airport in direct competition with Shannon Airport and others throughout the island.

“The objective must be to achieve a better balance of inward travel for business and tourism purposes, which will lead to better overall regional development across the board; particularly in Munster.”