Varadkar to close Galway airport? (9/5/12 announces Shannon to separate from DAA)

**Baron von Biffo** · 16-05-2011, 12:49 PM

According to RTE radio news, Leo the Loon is to restrict regional airport subsides to Donegal, Kerry and Knock, a move that may lead to the closure of Galway airport.

Varadkar contemptuously dismissed fears that closing the airport would have a negative impact on jobs in the area.

Well what do they expect if they choose to live the wrong side of the M50?

**antiestablishmentarian** · 16-05-2011, 12:57 PM

This strikes me as a form of economic triage tbh, something which the previous government did with service cuts, especially those in health. Protect the metropolitan vis-a-vis the periphery, or compel emigration to the cities. Rural Ireland is dying a death, not because of the rubbish put out there by the likes of the Vintners about drink-driving, but by emigration, lack of services and closure of those that exist, and lack of employment opportunities.

**culmore** · 16-05-2011, 03:56 PM

why should the low paid people of Ireland pay for the big shots to travel by air, if the big knobs want to travel by air let them pay the full fair and not have the lower paid paying taxes to subsidize their travel. enough is Enough for the lower paid workers of this country

**homer** · 16-05-2011, 05:28 PM

Galway people can use Shannon and Knock - comparatively short road journey.

**Baron von Biffo** · 16-05-2011, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by culmore

why should the low paid people of Ireland pay for the big shots to travel by air, if the big knobs want to travel by air let them pay the full fair and not have the lower paid paying taxes to subsidize their travel. enough is Enough for the lower paid workers of this country

Would you advocate removal of all subsidies from Dublin airport?

**Captain Con O'Sullivan** · 16-05-2011, 09:21 PM

Inevitable really that it should be Galway in the west to close. Shannon is needed by the Americans and Knock can't be touched or Jesus will use his ray gun on us.

I can't see how Galway can avoid this one.

**eoinmn** · 17-05-2011, 01:44 PM

I've made a lot of use of Galway Airport over the years. I love it. Its very handy.

Now it should be closed.

Anyone who thinks we can afford to let go teachers but keep white elephants like Galway Airport open needs to examine their priorities.

**Baron von Biffo** · 17-05-2011, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by eoinmn

I've made a lot of use of Galway Airport over the years. I love it. Its very handy.

Now it should be closed.

Anyone who thinks we can afford to let go teachers but keep white elephants like Galway Airport open needs to examine their priorities.

I haven't heard Varadkar say that Galway will be closed in order to keep more teachers in the system. The analysis by Antiestablishmentarian is probably more accurate - this is just another step in the withdrawal of services from rural Ireland.

**eoinmn** · 17-05-2011, 03:48 PM

It is not about rural -v- urban Ireland. It is about lowering our spending of borrowed money.

If this were a rural -v- urban thing the airport would be kept open for the sake of Galway city.

I live in rural Ireland, and I know our rural communities have their problems which are neglected by central government, but this conspiracy theory bull helps nobody.

WE ARE BROKE. Did it cross your mind that the subsidies for airports may be impacted by our indebtedness?

**antiestablishmentarian** · 17-05-2011, 11:04 PM

[quote=eoinmn;147273]

It is not about rural -v- urban Ireland. It is about lowering our spending of borrowed money.

I'd be of the opinion that that's a strawman argument- the thinking behind this on Varadkars part is probably more of the mindset to remove as many of the state subsidies as possible to give a free hand to 'enterprise' in the transport sector.

I live in rural Ireland, and I know our rural communities have their problems which are neglected by central government, but this conspiracy theory bull helps nobody.

What's conspiracy about it? The last government shut down half the hospitals in the State, and they were mostly in the BMW region. Provision of expenditure for public services, such as exist, is heavily weighted in favour of the metropolis.

WE ARE BROKE. Did it cross your mind that the subsidies for airports may be impacted by ~~the banks~~ our indebtedness?

How come they continue to find enough money to pump into Anglo and the likes but not invest in infrastructure, even if that's maintaining existing infrastructure.

**Baron von Biffo** · 18-05-2011, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by eoinmn

It is not about rural -v- urban Ireland. It is about lowering our spending of borrowed money.

If this were a rural -v- urban thing the airport would be kept open for the sake of Galway city.

I live in rural Ireland, and I know our rural communities have their problems which are neglected by central government, but this conspiracy theory bull helps nobody.

WE ARE BROKE. Did it cross your mind that the subsidies for airports may be impacted by our indebtedness?

See the above post by AntiE and remember also that support for regional infrastructure is support for the economic activity we need to get out of the mess. Taking away the airport subsidy and paying as much or more in dole as a result makes no sense.

**Baron von Biffo** · 05-06-2011, 12:48 PM

This story on RTE This Week now.

**Baron von Biffo** · 05-06-2011, 01:00 PM

The MD of the airport obviously has a vested interest in keeping the subsidies but that doesn't take from the reasonable points he made about the economic consequences for the region of shutting down part of the transport infrastructure.

Earlier on the programme Bruton was trying to defend his plan to beggar low paid workers by claiming that it would help tourism and tourism is important. Varadkar on the other hand is trying to reduce tourism by making access to the regions more difficult. So much for joined up thinking.

**Holly** · 05-06-2011, 01:27 PM

Well what do you know!
There is an airport in Galway; you learn something new every day.

**ang** · 07-06-2011, 05:01 PM

Leo made a statement today:-

Minister Varadkar also confirmed that from next year, the Government will only be in a position to support the four regional airports at Donegal, Knock Ireland West, Kerry and Waterford. The Government will not be able to provide operational or capital funding to Galway or Sligo airports.

The Government decided today to provide €5.9 million in additional funding to regional airports for 2011, and to continue financial support until the end of the year, reversing a decision by the last Government. This €5.9 million comes on top of the €13.4 million already allocated to regional airports for this year by the last government.

The Minister urged Galway and Sligo airports to use the opportunity provided by the additional funding to engage with various parties, including business interests, investors and local authorities, in order to secure their ongoing viability in some form.

http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.ph...funding/?cat=3