Councillors face off over Knock Airport

OPINIONS CLASH AS TO WHETHER SLIGO GAINS FROM INVESTMENTS

LOCAL councillors have said that Sligo should be getting more promotion at Knock Airport due to its decision to invest in June of last year.

Numerous councillors came forward to say that the airport is an important way of attracting visitors to the west, but hoped Sligo would be advertised better on the back of its commitment to invest € 1.6m over the next 30 years.

A motion was put forward by Cllr Joe Queenan for an update to be given on the county’s investment at the airport, and he asked County Manager Ciaran Hayes to report if council representatives had been attending meetings.

Mr Hayes responded by saying there was a special partnership established which comprises of the county councils of Sligo, Donegal, Mayo, Leitrim and Roscommon, as well as the county and city councils of Galway, who all invest in the airport. He told Cllr Queenan that he and Director of Services, Dorothy Clarke, attend these meetings on behalf of the council.

Mr Hayes also said that the partnership is working on an application to apply for “significant funding” to the REDZ Programme for a major flagship development which would see a new welcome/ visitor area to be used by all seven counties, as well as “new modern contemporary billboards”.

Cllr Queenan responded by saying that he was delighted to hear such a group was set up. Cllr Jerry Lundy welcomed the report, saying that Knock Airport is a way of informing visitors that Sligo is right on their doorstep. He said: “If we could get tourists to go north instead of south towards Galway. It is very important we have a presence at the airport to market Sligo as a region.” Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady said: “I fully support the funding. I always think of the people who put it there and opened up a door to the west of Ireland.” She added that she was at the airport recently and noted how run down it looked and that there was little promotion for Sligo.

However, Cllr Declan Bree said that Sligo County Council has no statutory obligation to Knock Airport. “We are in debt and are now promising € 55k a year, while Mayo County Council are making € 150k a year in rates from Knock Airport,” he said. “Where else could it happen, only here.”

Sligo County Council is one of seven councils committed to investing at Knock Airport to the tune of € 7.3m. Sligo’s investment was agreed for a sum of € 55k per year based on a 15 per cent contribution, bringing funding to € 1.6m over 30 years.