The Shannon Airport Group is welcoming the announcement that Shannon Airport will be included in the new Regional Airports Programme for the first time.
The scope of the programme has been broadened to now include airports with up to three million passengers annually.
The Sectoral Investment Plan for Transport under the recent NDP Review will provide almost €45 million capital investment over the period from 2026 to 2030 under the Regional Airports Programme for airports that meet the new criteria.
Shannon Airport handled 2.3 million passengers last year and will now be eligible for capital supports under the scheme aimed at helping airports maximise existing capacity, invest in infrastructure and support continued passenger growth.
The Regional Airports Programme is designed to support connectivity and balanced regional development, while ensuring airports can meet European Union safety and security obligations.
Projects focused on sustainability and carbon reduction, in line with the Climate Action Plan, will also be eligible for support.
In a statement to Clare FM, Interim CEO of The Shannon Airport Group Ray O’Driscoll says the move represents a strong endorsement of Shannon’s strategic importance to balanced regional development and its role in supporting sustainable connectivity for the West and Mid-West.
“It will support essential upgrades and ongoing investment to ensure our airport infrastructure remains resilient and future‑ready.
“Inclusion in this programme is something we have consistently highlighted as essential to ensuring that Shannon Airport can continue to deliver on its full potential for the country.
“We would like to thank Minister O’Brien and the Department of Transport, and we look forward to working closely with them as we advance these important initiatives for the region and the communities we serve,” Mr O’Driscoll said.
