A holistic approach to the aviation sector across the island of Ireland could unlock significant investment, supercharge the Northern Ireland economy and create thousands of highly paid jobs, a special roundtable convened in Belfast by KPMG heard today.
Attended by the Minister for the Economy Dr Caoimhe Archibald and other industry stakeholders, the meeting discussed a number of policy initiatives which would allow the all-island sector to take more advantage of the deep aviation manufacturing capabilities in Northern Ireland, as well as helping boost connectivity and competitiveness.
The event – Seizing the Aviation Opportunity – heard from Joe Gill, the co-author of the recent landmark report A Pathfinder for Irish Aviation alongside Eamonn Brennan. That report set out a number of measures aimed at boosting growth across the all-island aerospace and aviation sectors and was commissioned by Irelandia, the aviation group founded by the former co-founder of Ryanair Dr Dec Ryan.
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The report formed the basis for the discussion at the KPMG roundtable.
Amongst the five policy recommendations in it were a suggestion for the abolishment of airport passenger duty (APD) for flights from Northern Ireland to provide a uniform cost benefit for tourism and business across the island. Additionally, it recommended the commencement of flights from both Belfast to Cork and Derry to Dublin as part of the public sector obligations (PSO) outlined in the New Deal New Approach agreement.
It also suggested that the Aerospace Technology Institute, Enterprise Ireland and Ireland Strategic Investment Fund could develop world class aviation projects on the island and create a strategic engine overhaul facility in Derry or Shannon airports.
Minister for the Economy Dr Caoimhe Archibald said: “I welcomed the opportunity to hear more on the Pathfinder for Irish Aviation' report. It raises a number of important issues that my department will want to consider further, particularly as we work to develop the north's first aviation policy. The all-island potential for this industry is also an exciting prospect and we must take full advantage of the opportunities it presents.
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“Connectivity is vital to our economic development. Our air connectivity is a key enabler for increasing our FDI, tourism and opportunities for our indigenous businesses to exploit export and investment opportunities. Not to mention our world-class manufacturing and engineering clusters in the north.”
Johnny Hanna, Partner in Charge at KPMG in Northern Ireland, said: “We were delighted to welcome the Economy Minister and industry leaders to our roundtable session today which explored ways to grow the aviation sector across the island, with a particular focus on Northern Ireland. By way of example, the development of a major world class aircraft MRO facility in this part of the island to service the ever growing needs of leading global airlines and aircraft lessors could create many thousands of highly paid jobs and leave a legacy for many generations to come. This is an opportunity for the region which should be given serious and urgent consideration by all stakeholders”
Dr Dec Ryan, Executive Chair and Founder of Irelandia and commissioner of the report, said: “We believe these recommendations need to be prioritised and enacted by policymakers and stakeholders across the Irish aviation industry. If we are to seize the opportunity offered by a growing aviation sector over coming decades around the globe, Ireland needs leadership now to strengthen and broaden the foundations of this strategically important industry.”
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