An emergency motion on Waterford Airport was presented to local Councillors last week. Councillor Donal Barry put forward the motion at the Plenary meeting of the local authority.
He is calling for the Government to provide an immediate decision on the Airport's future.
Speaking at the meeting, the Independent Councillor said the project has received pushback after pushback.
"I think it's now time for the Government, through the Minister, to decide on that plan. It's been there long enough. I do not doubt that they have their minds made up, the officials. I'm just asking for full support for that motion. Get it to the Minister and our local TDs and push on with the case for Waterford Airport."
Waterford Airport opened in 1981, with Ryanair operating its first scheduled flight four years later. More recently, the new programme for Government does have a commitment to the development of the airport. In collaboration with the Bolster Group, Comer Group International announced that it will invest €12 million in Waterford Airport. The government is expected to match the investment. However, recent remarks by Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary have shed doubt on the project locally.
"Dismissive remarks from former Ministers coupled with the recent disparaging commentary not only undermine the initiative but also tarnishes the reputation of Waterford and the broader South East region in terms of attracting investment, "Councillor Barry continued.
"The rhetoric such as likened to a 'pig in a poke' and 'local lunatics' is detrimental to the narrative we need. I think the Mayor an immediate decision by the Government on the business case and the plan for Waterford Airport.
"The ongoing delays there with the case are intolerable and I think prompt action there was vital to ensure that all stakeholders can adequately prepare for what lies ahead."
All in agreement
The majority of the Council agreed on the motion put forward by Cllr. Barry with several Councillors voicing their opinions on Waterford Airport.
Councillor David Daniels added," It's political. I don't think that our Taoiseach down in Cork wants an airport in Waterford and our new Minister of State in Kerry doesn't want an airport in Waterford either.
"Look at the money that's been spent on computer systems this week. The millions of euros spent by the Arts Council on an abandoned IT project, €7 million. We can't get €15 million. To me it's not the money, it needs to be done."
Labour Councillor Seamus Ryan also supported the motion."I'm also speaking on behalf of my colleagues, Councillor Thomas Phelan and Councillor John Pratt, to support this motion. We realise and we spoke on this before, the important infrastructure that a regional airport is. I think we're the only region in the country without a regional airport and I think the Government needs to get behind this and push this forward."
Councillor Joe Kelly said the project has been dragged out for far too long.
"The foot-dragging and that's how I would describe it, by the various people in Government or indeed the various departments, it was under the previous Minister for Transport where things weren't really going to progress very much. I know that our Minister, Mary Butler, at one stage in an interview with WLR said that she felt nothing would progress until a new Minister was in place and we do now have a new Minister in place. So I think there's every chance that this project will now get the go-ahead, but I think a sense of urgency and real urgency needs to be injected into it.
And as Councillor Ryan said, there are other airports such as the one in Kerry, you have Galway and so on, all funded and funded not fully but partially through interventions from the, or subventions from the state. There's no reason why Waterford has to be excluded. There's nothing particularly different about Waterford."
Councillor Jim Griffin spoke for the Sinn Féin group at the meeting.
"On behalf of the Sinn Féin team, we would like to support the motion as well, Mayor. I suppose as an ex-board member, it's something that we've tried and tried and I do agree with Councillor Daniels. It's probably not down to the money, it's the political will. So I think we have four good, strong TDs batting for Waterford now.
"They seem to be working well on this and I think we should get this motion to them ASAP too, to bring it on and get this over the line once and for all."
Fine Gael Councillor Jim D'Arcy said the motion comes at the perfect time.
"I think the motion is very timely and I certainly support the motion. I think the potential of the Airport is huge. It's not just passengers, it's also cargo. A lot of work has been done. I think we did very well in getting it into the programme of the government. That wasn't an easy thing.
"That's a national document to specifically mention Waterford Airport. I think it was a great achievement and I think John Cummins has done great work on that. The Minister is due to meet the Minister of Transport.
"John Cummins will be meeting him next week, I believe. So it's looking good for us, but we certainly need to stand together on this. It's a huge potential for the county and indeed the south-east region."
Airport Director response
CEO of Waterford Council, Sean McKeown is also the Director of Waterford Airport and was unaware the motion would be brought before the Plenary Council.
"I didn't know this motion was coming up, but like the other speakers, I'd like to just say that I welcome it. I've just recently been appointed as Director of the airport, along with a couple of the elected members here in the chamber. We held a board meeting on the 22nd of January last and the board has agreed to seek an urgent meeting with the new Minister.
"You've seen from the Dáil exchange under Leader's Questions last week that the task of examining the business case has been given to Minister Sean Canny. So that's who the board delegation will seek to meet and an urgent meeting will be sought to press the case. But it is heartening, as Councillor D'Arcy has said, that the programme for the Government's commitment is that work with all stakeholders to quickly progress the Waterford airport project to lengthen and widen the runway, building on the previous Government's decision in 2019.
"So hopefully that's as strong as we can get and that's our starting point, is to have a lengthening and widening of the airport runway."
A vote was put to the floor with all Councillors voting in favour of the motion.
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