The planning notice for the extension of the runway at Waterford Airport has been published.
Waterford Council and Waterford Regional Airport are seeking approval from An Bord Pleanala to extend the runway to 2,287 metres.
Today marks the 35th anniversary of Ryanair's first scheduled flight out of Ireland.
On July 8th, 1985 a 15-seater aircraft began a daily return service Monday to Friday from Waterford Airport to London Gatwick.
¡Estamos de cumpleaños! ✈️🎂
Tal día como hoy, hace 35 años, partió de Waterford a @Gatwick_Airport el primer vuelo de Ryanair.

En la foto, un flamante HS 748 de la época 😊 pic.twitter.com/MK0mKd4qTb— Ryanair España (@Ryanair_ES) July 8, 2020
Ryanair’s first cabin crew recruits had to be under 5ft 2ins tall in order to be able to operate in the tiny cabin of the aircraft
It was hoped at the time that the new route would make the south-east more attractive to business and industry.
Sinn Fein Councillor Jim Griffin is on the board of Waterford Airport.
"The fact that we've gone to An Bord Pleanala for planning permission is another exciting development for Waterford Airport, especially this current week on its anniversity of one of the first flights there."
However, he added that it's equally alarming that nothing has happened there for quite a few years.
"That we haven't secured an airline carrier to bring the airport to where it deserves to be.
"We would be hoping with the new government in place now that we could secure the funding that was promised to us and ring-fence it to drive on with Waterford Airport."
The last government approved €5 million in funding for the project with the remainder coming from private investors.
However, Jim Griffin says there's no commitment to Waterford Airport in the new Programme for Government
"While they have ring-fenced money for airports they haven't mentioned any airports, they haven't mentioned Waterford, Knock, Shannon, Dublin.
"I would have liked to have seen Waterford mentioned in the Programme for Government, we have the Coast Guard there, we have the private operators but that's not enough to sustain Waterford Airport.
"We need our four Oireachtas members to drive on and to make sure that this is part of the jigsaw for Waterford that we can deliver that airport, it's badly needed for the South East and it will have a huge economic benefit if we can get it up and running to where it should be."
