Search Results for 'Ireland West Airport Knock'

Galway County Councillors have agreed to the local authority taking an equity share in Ireland West Airport Knock, in an attempt to secure the future of the transport facility.

The elected members of Mayo County Council approved the raising of a €7.3 million loan to fund the purchase of a 17.5 per cent stake in Ireland West Airport Knock by seven local authorities (Mayo County Council, Sligo County Council, Roscommon County Council, Donegal County Council, Leitrim County Council, Galway County Council, and Galway City Council) in the region at their meeting on Monday. The funding will be used to try to secure the future of the airport which saw more than 700,000 passengers use the airport last year.

The executive of Mayo County Council will put forward a formal proposal to the elected members of the council this afternoon (Monday, April 13) for the council to take out a 30-year loan to cover the cost of buying a 17.5 per cent stake in Ireland West Airport Knock for €7.3 million, by seven local authorities.

Getting tax incentives in place to attract industry and commerce to set up around Ireland West Airport is the key future of the development of the airport, it was outlined again this week. Joe Gilmore, managing director of Ireland West Airport Knock, addressed the February meeting of the economic development and enterprise support strategic policy committee of Mayo County Council on Wednesday afternoon in the airport.

The proposed purchase of a major equity stake in Ireland West Airport Knock is currently at its due-diligence stage. The proposed purchase of a 17.5 per cent stake in the airport by seven local authorities (Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Donegal, and Galway county council and Galway city council) for €7.3 million has received backing in principal from all the seven local authorities so far. Last week saw Sligo County Council appoint the consultants who will carry out the due diligence investigations into the proposal, which would see the airport shed its current bank debt.

Elected members of Mayo County Council are to meet on Monday to consider a draft budget of €127.5 million in spending for the county in 2015.

Commenting on the statement made by Joe Kennedy, chairman of Ireland West Airport Knock, who directed a public appeal to An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, at a recent function, to ensure his support to Ireland West Airport Knock, chairman of the Western Development Commission, Paddy McGuinness, said: “Mr Kennedy is widely respected for his support and interest in the ongoing development of the Western region and, particularly, Ireland West Airport Knock. His comments are honourable and merely indicated that he hoped his aspirations for the airport, and those of An Taoiseach’s, were aligned.”

Last month saw Ireland West International Airport Knock break records as it recorded its busiest month at the regional airport. More than 91,000 passengers used the airport in July, which was 1,500 more than the previous record for the Mayo based airport which was set in August 2012 when 89,500 passed through the arrivals and departure gates of the airport.

The Galway City Council is to join up with six other local authorities in examining an investment opportunity in Ireland West Airport Knock in the hopes that increased passenger numbers will lead to further development of business and tourism throughout the county.

Ireland West Airport Knock is set for a boost in passenger numbers after Ryanair launched its biggest summer and winter schedules.