Everyone needs to wear the blue jersey when it comes to getting Waterford Airport up and running, according to a local councillor.

Former metropolitan mayor Joe Kelly said he had heard some negative comments in relation to it at a local level.

The Independent Councillor says there should be no public dissent on this issue.

“I think that from social media and from some word on the street that I’m hearing, that there are some detractors at a local level here in Waterford, probably even among some of the Councillors.

“I think that’s unwise and uncalled for.

“I think everyone should be wearing the blue jersey down here this weekend, we should be welcoming this wholeheartedly.

“Why should the South East be the only region in the country that doesn’t have a functioning airport?”

The Transport Minister Shane Ross says the money will be provided only after private investors and local authorities honour their commitments to invest in the facility.

Joe Kelly says the conditions attached to the funding are quite normal in all big projects.

“If you were to look at Croke Park or the development of Pairc Ui Caoimh, all of those have conditions attached.

“The government never hands out anything with an open-ended plan or open-ended amount of money.

“The conditions are that the other funding is in place, we get on with the work and in due course the money that is promised from the government will come along as well.”

The former metropolitan mayor says he personally made representations to transport minister Shane Ross on this issue one month ago.

“My understanding is that Minister Ross has the support of several Ministers in Cabinet and more importantly he has the 100% support of Leo Varadkar our Taoiseach.”