The first of the WLR 2024 General Election Debates took place at the Old Bank, Dungarvan on Monday, November 18th.
Seven candidates vying for a seat in the Waterford constituency took part in a two-hour debate chaired by WLR's Damien Tiernan - which was then broadcast on Deise Today on Tuesday, November 19th.
The seven candidates present were - Mary Butler TD (Fianna Fail); Matt Shanahan TD (Independent); Cllr. Conor McGuinness (Sinn Fein); Sadhbh O'Neill (Labour); Ronan Cleary (Aontu); Killian Mangan (Independent) and Aaron Joyce (Independent).
Among the various issues debated on the night was the topic of the runway extension at Waterford Airport - and all candidates were given an opportunity to outline their views on the matter.
There have been no commercial flights out of Waterford Airport since 2016 - as the Department of Transport continue to engage with stakeholders from Waterford Airport in relation to a proposed runway extension that would allow for the return of such.
Private investment has been secured, however there has been no confirmation of government support in the form of the necessary €12m to cater for the proposed development.
Fianna Fail TD Mary Butler addressed comments made by her party colleague - Junior Transport Minister, James Lawless TD - who referred to the Airport case as 'a pig in a poke' some weeks ago. She moved to reiterate her party's full support for the runway extension proposal.
"I find it very hard to sit here and listen to some of the commentary that's going on in relation to Waterford and how, if people were outside of this room, they'd nearly think that Waterford was a failed county. I have leveraged my position as a minister. I am the only elected politician sitting at this table tonight that was at the table when the initial deal was brokered that I was part of to secure €5 million at that time with Minister Shane Ross and John Halligan. The situation is very, very clear. Matt Shanahan questioned the Tanaiste in the Dáil last Thursday week. It was actually the last sitting of the Dáil, and Micheál Martin said he was for the airport. We have written into our manifesto, and I will quote, continue to engage with stakeholders in relation to the expansion of Waterford Regional Airport, and just in relation to the pig in the poke comment, which we have spoken about quite a lot on the radio. A disaster of a comment, but good things came from it."
Independent TD Matt Shanahan says he lead by example in championing the case for Waterford Airport's runway extension.
" I flushed out Eamon Ryan regarding the business case. I highlighted the failure of government to continue to keep stopgap funding into the airport in 2020. I highlighted in 2022 that the pre-qualification questionnaire was to take the rescue helicopter out of Waterford and bring it to Cork. I was debating with James Lawless when he made the big and the bold comment. I don't think anybody more than I has led on this airport issue. I think that shows the value of an independent voice and the value of somebody who is within the system, trying to work the system, but also highlighting how the system is failing."
Sinn Fein candidate Conor McGuinness says the situation is down to a 'lack of engagement and ambition from Government'.
"No ifs, buts or maybes, we're totally in support of the runway extension. We think that government should have made a decision many years ago, in fact. I think the comment went down like a lead balloon, and it illustrated a lack of engagement, a lack of understanding and lack of ambition by government. We need to see that runway extension. The local authorities have put their money where their mouth is. Private investors have put their money where their mouth is, and we need government to make that political decision. On the first full day of campaigning last week, Mary Lou MacDonald came to Waterford to kick off the Sinn Féin campaign. She was at Waterford Airport with David Cullinane and myself, and we have given a nailed-on commitment that we will fund Waterford Airport and the runway extension within the first 100 days of a Sinn Féin-led government."
WLR's first General Election Debate at the Old Bank, Dungarvan.
Aontu candidate Ronan Cleary says he cannot see why Waterford shouldn't avail of an airport.
"We're very much in favour of the reopening of the airport. If Tralee and Knock can have an airport, why can't Waterford? We have a much bigger industrial hinterland. It would serve Clonmel, Wexford, Kilkenny, East Cork. It would take a huge amount of pressure off Dublin. Ireland, the Republic, is now at risk of becoming a city state, and Dublin is overheating. To open up a viable airport in Waterford, would serve London, would serve all the major cities of the UK and onto the continent, would take a huge amount of traffic off the roads going into Dublin. It would actually probably make more sense from a green point of view, less carbon emissions, less people on the road, but more traffic flow through Waterford Airport. It would also serve our industry and the pharmaceutical companies who have bases down here in Waterford and then have their headquarters maybe in Paris or London."
Labour candidate Sadhbh O'Neill says she is in favour of the proposal but not in favour of the uncontrolled growth of the aviation sector as a whole.
"I think in terms of the impact of aviation on the environment, the most important issue to be addressed is Dublin Airport. That passenger cap is absolutely vital as a mechanism for regulating pollution, both air noise and climate emissions from the airport. It is the single biggest emitter of carbon dioxide in the state at 2.8 million tonnes. I'm in favour of the airport. It has planning permissions. The business case has gone in - but what I'm not in favour of is uncontrolled growth in the aviation sector. The place to address that is actually with Dublin Airport and redirecting the traffic to regional airports, which have, in some cases, spare capacity. Waterford should go ahead. It's not really a complicated issue."
Independent candidate Killian Mangan voiced his opposition to the runway extension - stating transport infrastructure would be better served elsewhere.
"I think the Waterford Airport is a red herring. It's just the tip of the iceberg. A really clear example of Waterford being left behind in a general and systemic way. I'm very concerned that the universal monopoly, the monopolisation of the conversation, all just for Waterford Airport is really damaging for Waterford in general. What I'm trying to propose instead is trying to help people with transport in a way which is more tangible to their everyday lives, such as a train line between Waterford City and Cork City. I want to be honest with people. I'm not in support of the runway extension. There's no case for it, and I think there's way better things that we should be focusing on."
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