Six regional airports have been awarded €86 million in capital grants by the Government to help fund their expansion plans.

The funding was announced yesterday by Minister for Transport Martin Cullen and forms part of the Government's Transport 21 programme, which has set aside €100 million in grants for regional airports to aid economic development in rural areas.

Knock airport was the biggest beneficiary, receiving €27.1 million to help pay for a new aircraft parking area and terminal extension. Knock recently announced plans to begin transatlantic services in May to New York and Boston in conjunction with Flyglobespan. It plans to increase its passenger numbers from the current level of 620,000 annually to one million a year by 2011.

Waterford airport also fared well, receiving €22.3 million for a runway extension and widening, and other improvements.

Kerry airport, which is used by Ryanair, is to get €17 million to help fund the extension of its terminal and related facilities.

Donegal, Sligo and Galway regional airports will receive €18.6 million between them, aimed at providing enhanced levels of safety and security.

Mr Cullen said the investment would boost regional economic development. "This reflects the Government's conviction that the regional airports have a key role to play in facilitating balanced regional development."

Passengers numbers at the country's regional airports have trebled over the past six years and the Minister said the new funds "tackles head-on some of the infrastructural obstacles to their further development".