The directors of Ireland West Airport Knock have taken another step to distance themselves from the controversy generated by one of their members over possible facilitation of military flights at the Mayo airstrip.
The board, which discussed the issue at a weekend meeting in Co Mayo, said it would "only ever consider facilitating military flights on humanitarian and ethical grounds". Such flights "would have to have the support of both the Government and the United Nations", it said in a statement.
The board said it believed firmly that any military operation, not supported by both the Government and the UN, was "not compatible with the mission and aims of the airport" as agreed in 2005.
"The airport is conscious of its connectedness, not just with the region, but also with people outside the region and in other countries and continents." Its "culture and values will reflect its interdependence with the world and its duty to act responsibly as a member of a local and wider global community".
The weekend meeting was attended by businessman Ulick McEvaddy, recently reappointed to the board after 18 years. In reported comments earlier this month, Mr McEvaddy said he did not think that Knock could compete with Shannon for US military business due to the runway's limitations and because of extensive duty-free facilities in Co Clare.
"Never say never," he said. "I have huge connections with the US military and if it came to using them, I would." Mr McEvaddy's refuelling company, Omega Air, has links with the US military.
The airport board acknowledged Mr McEvaddy's "wealth of experience and integrity in the aviation and business world", saying such qualities are, and will be, of tremendous value to the airport in its future development".
