IEA Submission: Mid-Term Review of the Regional Airports Programme 2021-2025

The Irish Exporters Association welcome the opportunity to respond to the Department of
Transport’s mid-term review of the Regional Airports Programme for 2021-2025. Ireland, as
an island nation, is heavily reliant on its domestic and international air cargo transport
sector, owing to its crucial role in the economy. The movement of a considerable number of
products require at a minimum some element of air freight within wider multi-modal supply
chains, which also include sea, road, and rail freight. The aviation sector is a key employer
in communities across Ireland and make a significant contribution to the economy – bringing
goods into and across Ireland, as well as supporting Irish exports.

Regional airports feed hubs and provide point-to-point connections across shorter distances
than their international counterparts. As transit nodes, they are capable of enabling
economic activity and expansion by connecting people, products, and services to wider
markets. The IEA believe regional airports play an important part within the aviation system.
They are engines of socio-economic development and improve accessibility to certain
locations, in particular those that are remote or not well served by other forms of
transportation.

They also have a vital role in terms of economic and social cohesion, stimulating tourism
and employment, as well as facilitating access to essential services. In addition, they can
help to reduce congestion at major hub airports

IEA Submission Mid-Term Review of the Regional Airports Programme 2021-2025