Waterford Minister of State John Halligan says the emergency funding received by Waterford Airport will allow it to keep vital services in the region.

It’s been confirmed that the Airport is to receive govt funding of €375,000 euro to assist with the day-to-day running costs.

Waterford Airport is not eligible for its operational funding for 2018 from the Department of Transport as it hasn’t had commercial flights since the middle of 2016.

Minister Halligan said that work is ongoing make the airport commercially viable.

“A development plan which includes a runway extension has been submitted to the Department by Waterford Airport,” he said, “and the board of management has secured private investment of €5 million for the proposal, with matched funding sought from Government.”

Further information has been requested by the Department of Transport on a number of aspects of the proposal and Waterford Airport is currently in the process of compiling this.

In the interim, Minister Halligan said the emergency funding will ensure Waterford Airport can continue to facilitate the Irish Coast Guard Station (Rescue 117) and other private business, as well as the recently announced Atlantic Flight Training Academy (AFTA) Irish Pilot Training and Recruitment base, which will train up to 450 cadets at Waterford Airport over the next five years: