Independent TD Matt Shanahan has hit out at what he sees as inadequate support for Waterford airport on foot of a new round of funding for other regional airports in Ireland.
Over €16 million is to be invested in boosting the safety and security of a number of airports, including Donegal, Kerry, Shannon and Cork.
According to the government, one of the primary requirements for this latest round funding was that the airports had operational commercial flights, which is why Waterford hasn't qualified.
Earlier this year, planning permission for Waterford's runway extension was granted, with funding now being the only obstacle. More here.
Deputy Shanahan says it's not good enough that there's no allocation for Waterford in this latest tranche. Speaking to WLR, he went on to say that there's an unwillingness on the government's part to fund aviation in Waterford, given how it can find money when it needs to:
"This is money coming from Brussels and they're saying Waterford doesn't qualify. But I think we have to look at it in the round, and say this is free money in essence that government is getting from Brussels to support the national aviation sector. But we have an aviation sector down here and surely government can find money. They certainly have access to money everywhere else. We only have to look at what Robert Watt was proposing as Secretary General of the Department of Health - €20 million over ten years to support a new faculty that nobody had even asked for or thought about. So it just shows what can be done."
He says it's not the only time the airport has been left short of funding.
"Waterford had its annual stop-gap funding of €350,000 withdrawn in 2020. And it is obvious to me now that government has no intention of trying to support the continuance of this airport, it will have to be done privately, I think that's the message they're sending out."
Deputy Shanahan has described as "wholly inadequte" the government commitment to give €5 million in funding to Waterford airport, on the proviso that €7 million can first be raised privately. "The bottom line to me is if Ireland 2040 is a real strategic plan and if the South East is to be a viable region of this country well then we have to see government funding back that up."
