Providing government funding for Waterford Airport has been likened to buying a 'pig in a poke'.
The comment was made by Junior Transport Minister James Lawless in the Dáil today following a Parliamentary Question from Matt Shanahan.
The Independent Waterford TD had sought an update on the government's funding of the runway extension project.
"The State is being asked to contribute significant funding to buy a pig in a poke based on a business case which, being frank, could be a lot stronger," he said.
"If it is stronger, and it can be strengthened, I am open to seeing revisions of it."
Minister Lawless believes the South-East region is already well served when it comes to transport.
"The business case is predicated upon, in its first year of operations, exceeding the figures for its best ever year of operation in the past," he said.
"The reality is the figures declined from 2008 to 2016 when the airport ceased scheduled activities - one could point to the M9 motorway and ask is that a reason for the decline? The region is well served in other ways."
For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.
