Current Press Releases

The Board of Galway Airport and its majority Shareholder, Galway Chamber confirm the airport is here to stay!

The Board of Galway Airport and its majority shareholder, Galway Chamber, following this morning's Board meeting have rejected the inference by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar TD that Galway Airport is not a strategic asset and therefore not important to the economic development of the west region. The Board and Galway Chamber are confident about the future for Galway Airport.

The Board and Galway Chamber confirm that they will engage with alternative investors, businesses and local authorities to secure investment in the airport to guarantee its future for its employees, associated businesses, business and industry in the city and surrounding region.  In addition to working closely with the Minister and his department to secure the future of the airport.

The Board has commenced the necessary engagement process with stakeholders and industry specialists to ensure the airport's long term future.

ENDS

For further information contact: Joe Walsh, Managing Director, Galway Airport @ 086 - 3803078.

• The airport site / facility currently employs upwards of 180 people
  
  
• These jobs result in an annual contribution to the Irish Exchequer of over €2 million
  
  
• 85% of the airport's traffic is international traffic as it provides critical access to international markets and over 400 cities worldwide via its ‘hub' destinations.
  
  
• Galway is the 3^rd most popular inbound tourist destination in the country
  
  
• In 2009 overseas tourism spend in Galway was €266 million  (Failte Ireland Survey of Overseas Travellers / CSO July 2010)
  
  
• The annual tourism impact of the airport on the region is estimated at €19m  (The Case for Galway Airport - Talbot Associates, September 2010)
  
  
• Independent economic analysis has estimated that Galway Airport directly contributes €31 million annually to the region with the indirect impact associated with maintaining access to international markets being far greater
  (The Case for Galway Airport - Talbot Associates, September 2010)
  
  
• ‘Galway Airport, at a relatively marginal cost, supports the location of 10,000 jobs in IDA Ireland, 5,000 jobs in Enterprise Ireland and 2,000 jobs in Udaras na Gaeltachta supported companies involved in international trading'.    (Economic Business Case for Services at Galway  Airport supporting Regional Development -      Community ,Enterprise and Economic Development Unit, Galway County Council ,July 2010)
  
  
• ‘Government policy does not fully recognise the international access role of regional airports and their consequent importance to their respective catchments'.  (Air Access and the Western Region - A Regional Perspective, Western Development Commission,  February 2011)

• Galway City employs 40,000 people - Galway City Development Plan 
  

• Galway City employs 40,000 people – Galway City Development Plan