Ireland's main airports contribute €10.2bn to the economy
A new report from the Oireachtas has shown that Ireland's main airports contribute €10.2 billion to the economy and have seen passenger numbers grow by almost 50% since 2012.
Passenger numbers at Ireland's airports have surged 45% since 2012, according to figures released by the Oireachtas.
In Dublin, numbers have grown 54% to 29.4 million and had its busiest year in its 78-year history last year.
The report said that 85.5% of all passengers come through Dublin airport and it is the 19th most connected airport in Europe.
In Cork, however passengers number fell 1.4% to 2.3m since 2012.
Cork accounts for 6.7% of passengers and provides a €727 million economic impact to the economy.
The most popular route at Cork airport is Heathrow, followed by Stansted and then Amsterdam.
In Shannon, passenger numbers grew 24% to 1.6m.
Total employment at all Irish airports stands at 143,745 people
Figures released by the Oireachtas also show that 267 routes are served by the airports overall.
Following the publication of the report, Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune has again called on Aer Lingus to consider reintroducing the Cork-Amsterdam flights that were cut earlier this year.
"The Cork to Amsterdam Schiphol flight is a vital route for the Munster region, providing connectivity and access not only to Amsterdam, but also to onward flights through this international airline hub as well as excellent train access across Europe through Schiphol Airport Railway Station," said MEP Clune.
"The latest figures show that it is the third most popular destination for travellers at both Cork and Dublin airports. A recent report also showed that Amsterdam is one of the best connected airports in Europe."
Ms Clune welcomed the growth in passenger numbers but warned that airports outside of Dublin cannot be ignored when it comes to investment.
You can find further details from the report here.
