Fianna Fáil should stop playing politics on future of Shannon Airport – Carey

Fine Gael TD Joe Carey calls on Fianna Fáil to support the State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill which will be published next week and is expected to be enacted by the summer.

“The State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill is the final piece of the jigsaw in relation to securing the future of Shannon Airport and putting the new Shannon Airport Authority on a full legislative footing. The turnaround at Shannon Airport since the Government set up a new management structure has been remarkable, reversing a five-year passenger decline and seeing new routes added by Ryanair and other airlines.

“Deputy Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil’s Spokesperson on Transport, should give up on his political games and get behind this Government’s initiatives which have helped reverse the declining fortunes at Shannon Airport. The record shows that he and his Party voted against the establishment of an Independent Shannon Airport on the 11th of December 2012. He has said previously that if Government policies were seen to be working, he would be one of the first to acknowledge them. Well, they are working. Shannon Airport is on the rise, and everyone except Timmy Dooley can see that Government policies have had a huge impact.

“Fianna Fail should get behind those working hard to undo years of political ambivalence in relation to Shannon Airport. Despite Fianna Fail’s prediction that separating Shannon Airport from the clutches the DAA would be a disaster, we have seen a reversal of the five-year passenger decline which was allowed to happen under Fianna Fáil’s watch. Passenger numbers on transatlantic routes increased by 22% in the latter half of 2013 and Ryanair have introduced nine new routes at Shannon Airport this summer. The Ryanair decision came on the back of this Government’s decision to abolish the travel tax, and the Government driven Gathering initiative.

“The State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill was discussed at cabinet today and will be published next week. I want to call on Deputy Dooley to set aside his political pettiness, and to vote for The State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill. If he truly is concerned for the future of Shannon Airport, then he should have no difficulty supporting this Bill. He should stand up and be counted in supporting the only credible solution to the viability of the airport and the region which has been developed in recent years by this Government and those of us who serve in it.”