New EU report warns of economic consequences of not investing in airports like Kerry.
Transport Committee MEP, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, has called for Kerry airport, along with all other Irish airports, to be given increased regular exchequer funding and will raise the issue with her colleague, Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien. She will call – in her role as a transport MEP – for the funding to come from a new EU wide fund that the EU Commission will establish as part of their upcoming aviation strategy.
Ní Mhurchú made her calls following meetings with representatives from Airports Council International (ACI) who have produced a report warning that European airports face a €360 billion infrastructure investment gap by 2040, as rising costs, decarbonisation requirements and slower passenger growth are hurting our European airports.
Ní Mhurchú described Kerry airport as vital to the economic prospects of the wider South West, particularly for Kerry, Limerick, Cork and Clare, complimenting the routes provided by both Shannon and Cork airports.
She welcomed the funding Kerry Airport receives under the Regional Airports Programme (RAP) but raised two key concerns about that model of funding. Firstly, RAP support is limited to airports handling fewer than one million passengers, creating a “cliff edge” loss of funding once that threshold is crossed, which she said can discourage the ambition to grow above 1m passengers.
Secondly, while RAP funding is vital for safety, security, and sustainability projects, it is often restricted to specific themes, limiting how the airport can use the money. The programme’s focus on these areas also constrains Kerry Airport’s ability to invest in revenue-generating projects that could strengthen its long-term viability.
Airport Security
Ní Mhurchú also urged the European Commission to introduce a clear, consistent airport security policy across the EU.
Currently, some airports use advanced C3 X-ray scanners, which remove the need to take electronics and liquids out of cabin bags, and have the capability to screen liquids up to 2 litres. That technology was approved at EU level in July 2025, making life easier for travelling passengers who no longer had to separate out liquids and could leave them in their bags.
However, the approval was based on tests using only one type of security tray. Airports using different tray types are still awaiting individual regulatory approval on an airport-by-airport basis, a process Ní Mhurchú described as time-consuming “infuriating red tape” that leaves passengers unnecessarily unpacking liquids at airport security checkpoints.
Ní Mhurchú echoed the view of EU experts in aviation that Europe’s airports could lose up to €75 billion in earnings over the next two decades, threatening their role as critical infrastructure supporting tourism, trade, and regional development.
