Major cash injection for airport
KERRY AIRPORT SET TO RECEIVE OVER THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION EURO
KERRY Airport has received a major boost with the news that it to benefit from a State grant of over three quarters of a million Euro.
The Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport announced the funding on Friday.
Under the Regional Airport Programme Kerry Airport will receive grant aid of €769,537.
That represents a significant increase on 2016 when the airport received state funding of approximately €310,000.
The 2017 grant will go towards safety and security related projects at the airport.
Newly installed Minister of State for Tourism and Sport welcomed the funding.
“I am delighted with announcement today of this grant for Kerry Airport and with this it shows a firm commitment of the Government to continuing financial support for safety and security measures at the airport,” said Minister Griffin.
“The National Aviation Policy 2015 acknowledges the role played by the regional airports in promoting a level of international connectivity to support the tourism and business sectors in their regions, and Kerry Airport continues to provide vital links in the region,” he said.
“With this grant Kerry airport will be able to move for with a number of safety and security features such as provision of stop-bar and additional taxi-way signage,” Minister Griffin said.
The funding allocation was also welcomed by Deputy Michael Healy-Rae.
“I was very glad that when Minister Ross was in Kerry recently that he visited Kerry Airport, the airport is of paramount importance to the county and it is vital that these much needed funds are allocated to ensure that our airport can continue improving, raising standards in safety and all other aspects of the airport,” he said.
“I was assured by the Minister that the PSO would not be in danger this year, but, I also raised with him the possibility of an International PSO with an airport such as Amsterdam to increase worldwide connectivity for Kerry which would obviously open the doors for more business in towns like Tralee, Listowel, Killarney and Castleisland,” he added.