The Irish Government is considering extending its Regional Airports Programme (RAP) to airports that handle up to 3m passengers per year, which would make Cork and Shannon eligible for grant aid.
Currently, the RAP is open only to airports handling fewer than one million passengers per year. Shannon Airport, which currently benefits from the programme, will no longer be eligible starting next year as it handled just over 1.5m passengers last year. Cork Airport, expecting to handle 2.7m passengers this year, has also lobbied for changes to the program, suggesting that the eligibility threshold could be increased to five million passengers per year based on EU rules on state-aid schemes.
The four airports currently supported by the Regional Airports Programme are Shannon Airport, Kerry Airport, Ireland West Airport in Knock, and Donegal Airport. The program also supports the public service obligation air route between Donegal and Dublin, operated by Emerald Airlines as part of its Aer Lingus Regional franchise.
The Department of Transport has confirmed that a mid-term review of the programme is ongoing, with the aim of assessing its effectiveness in supporting connectivity and balanced regional development. As such, the possibility of allowing Shannon to remain permanently eligible for the Regional Airports Programme will be considered within the review.
