Airports

As an island nation, Ireland's airports are of huge importance.

The specific objectives of airports policy are to:

• facilitate the optimum structure to ensure strong network of airports
• support the development of State airports in their respective markets; Dublin Airport as a secondary hub, Cork and Shannon Airports as gateways for business and tourism purposes
• review existing regulatory regime for airport charges, consult with stakeholders, decide future policy for regulation of airport charges and make appropriate legislative changes
• implement Ireland's Regional Airports Programme 2015-2019

Ireland has three State Airports - Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports which are commercial Semi State Companies.

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is a Shareholder in daa plc (which also operates and manages Cork Airport) and Shannon Group plc. In that context we oversee the corporate governance of daa plc and Shannon Group plc. Both comply with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Code of Practive for Governance of State Bodies, which sets out the principles of corporate governance which the boards of State bodies are required to observe.

daa is a public limited company. It is responsible for the management, operation and development of Dublin and Cork Airports, Irish and International airport retail management (ARI) and international airport investment (daaI).

Shannon Group is a public limited company.

The company’s main activities include the:

• operation, management and development of Shannon Airport
• management and development of the commercial property portfolio held by Shannon Commercial Properties
• development of the aviation business cluster in Shannon through the work of the International Aviation Services Centre (IASC)

The relevant legislation governing the operation of the company is available here.

Ireland’s regional airports were developed in the 1980s to provide improved national and international connectivity. The airports contributed to the social and economic fabric of the regions at a time when rail and road connections were poor.

Improvements to surface transport infrastructure in recent years, particularly the motorway network, has largely reduced the role of regional airports in the provision of domestic connectivity. Direct international routes still remain important from the perspective of regional growth in business and tourism.

Exchequer support for Ireland’s regional airports is provided through Ireland's Ireland's Regional Airports Programme 2015-2019. Currently, four airports benefit from funding under this Programme; Donegal, Kerry, Ireland West Airport Knock and Waterford.

The Programme also provides financial support to airlines to operate services under the Public Service Obligation (PSO) Air Services Scheme. Two PSO routes are supported - Kerry/Dublin and Donegal/Dublin.

More information on these air services can be found here:

• Kerry Airport
• Donegal Airport

US Preclearance in Ireland allows US-bound passengers to clear all US entry controls (immigration, customs and agriculture) prior to departure, such that on arrival there they have the same status as passengers arriving from a US domestic airport and thus face no further entry controls. The US Preclearance facility is a very valuable arrangement for Ireland, as well as being of benefit to the United States.

The preclearance facility is within Irish jurisdiction and the laws of Ireland apply at all times. US preclearance officers are not considered law enforcement officers. The only law enforcement officers at Irish Airports are An Garda Síochána and Customs Officers.

The National Aviation Policy recognises the benefits of US preclearance in Ireland from an aviation perspective. It facilitates connectivity, which in turn supports the FDI and tourism sectors which underpin the Irish economy.

The National Aviation Policy establishes an objective that all US bound flights from Dublin and Shannon Airports wishing to do so can be pre-cleared. The National Aviation Policy undertakes to maintain close links with the US authorities to ensure the continued delivery and development of preclearance facilities at the airports.

More information on US Preclearance can be found at the following link US Preclearance.