Extra money is to be spent on safety and security at the State's regional airports this year.
The announcement was made yesterday by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, when she sanctioned £1.5 million in grants for the six airports in Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Knock, Sligo and Waterford. She said the money should also be spent on marketing and promotional activities.
Farranfore Airport in Kerry and Knock International Airport in Mayo got the biggest portions of funding, each receiving £350,000. The other four airports were each allocated £200,000.
The operations manager of Carrickfin airport in Donegal, Mr Brendan O Baoill, said the airport's allocation from the Department had doubled this year and the funding was welcome because the cost of maintaining safety and security had increased in recent years.
Ms O'Rourke said passenger traffic at the regional airports had increased by 40 per cent over the past six years. They played "a valuable role in the context of our national transportation infrastructure and balanced regional development," she said.
The Minister also said she ordered a review of the operations of the regional airports. The review, being carried out by a team led by Mr Tony Foley, a senior lecturer at Dublin City University Business School, will review performance, present an analysis of the future for the regional airports, and make proposals for development.
Mr Foley said he would speak to airport personnel, local business and tourist interests in coming weeks to hear ideas on how the airport services could be improved.
He said it was difficult to persuade airlines to service regional airports given the small population they served. Many of the airports were surviving because of State-subsidised travel, he added.
A preliminary draft of the review is due in October and the final draft is expected to be submitted to the Minister in November.