129 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the board of Knock International Airport had to introduce an ?8 airport charge to persons boarding aircraft to make up the shortfall in revenue in view of the termination of duty free; and if she will provide the amount of funding to the airport that the introduced charge accumulates. [7879/02]

As the Deputy is aware, Knock Airport is a privately owned and managed airport and, as such, I have no function in relation to any decisions by the airport authorities regarding charges on the users of the facilities at Knock.

The charge to which the Deputy refers is not new. I understand from the airport authorities at Knock that it was introduced by the board of Knock Airport following the abolition of intra-EU duty free sales in mid-1999 and it is currently levied at a rate of €7.50 per departing passenger.

The Government is committed to supporting the regional airports, including Knock Airport, and in this regard I have maintained and enhanced a range of regional airport grant schemes with a view to sustaining the regional airport network into the future.