Southern Region Infrastructure Boost Urged by Shannon Airport Group in NDP Submission

 

(IN SHORT) The Shannon Airport Group has submitted recommendations to Ireland’s NDP review, advocating for strategic infrastructure investments in the Southern Region. Their key asks include Shannon Airport’s inclusion in the Regional Airports Programme for 2026–2030 to secure capital funding, expedited delivery of the Shannon Airport Rail Link for over 10,000 daily commuters, and full implementation of the Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce’s renewable energy and tourism development proposals. CEO Mary Considine highlights the crucial role of these projects in achieving Project Ireland 2040’s vision of balanced regional growth and urges the Government to prioritize these initiatives in the updated NDP.

(PRESS RELEASE) SHANNON, Ireland, 2025-Jun-30 — /Travel PR News/ — The Shannon Airport Group has formally contributed to the Government’s National Development Plan (NDP) review, urging targeted investment to remedy critical infrastructure shortfalls in Ireland’s Southern Region. In response to Minister Jack Chambers’s April announcement—seeking to guide public capital spending through 2035—the Group’s submission underscores the risk that uneven regional funding could derail Project Ireland 2040’s ambition for balanced economic and population growth.

Priority Proposals from The Shannon Airport Group

Regional Airports Programme (RAP) 2026–2030 Inclusion
Aviation drives commerce, trade, and tourism. The Group is pressing for Shannon Airport’s entry into the next RAP cycle to secure capital funding that will boost safety, capacity, and sustainability—ensuring the airport continues to facilitate trade, tourism, and workforce mobility on a global scale.

Shannon Airport Rail Link Acceleration
Citing over 10,000 commuter journeys daily, the Group calls for the rail link’s elevation in the All-Island Strategic Rail Review. Dedicated funding for planning, design, and construction will bolster regional access, support decarbonisation goals, and stimulate sustained economic expansion.

Adoption of SEET Recommendations
The Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce has identified the estuary as a prime site for renewable energy, eco-industry, and tourism growth. The Group urges the Government to weave SEET’s strategies into the NDP update to unlock the area’s job creation and climate action potential.

Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, emphasized:

“The updated National Development Plan is our best chance in a generation to create equitable regional opportunity. Our proposals align with Minister Chambers’s aim to drive growth, boost competitiveness, and secure balanced development. Shannon Airport remains a cornerstone of Ireland’s economy, and we need the NDP to deliver the infrastructure that will fully realize this region’s promise.”

Media contact:
communications@snnairportgroup.ie

SOURCE: The Shannon Airport Group