The Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, has provided an update regarding the future of Waterford Airport.
Minister Ryan gave the update in a written response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Fein Spokesperson for Health and Waterford TD, David Cullinane.
Deputy Cullinane requested the Minister for Transport to provide the latest update on the Government’s response to the business plan received from Waterford Airport for the development and re-establishment of commercial passenger flight business into Waterford and the South East, and also queried if he will make a statement on the matter.
In response, the Minister acknowledged the desire from the people of Waterford and the Oireachtas members for a commitment to be communicated - but he stressed the need to adhere to the public spending code.
"In June 2019, the Government at that time gave an approval in principle of an expression of support for an expansion proposal at Waterford Airport and to providing Exchequer funding of €5 million towards a runway extension project", Minister Ryan outlined. "Government support was not only contingent on local authority and private investment necessary to complete the project being committed and any risks relating to cost escalation being borne by the non-State investors, but also on full details of the project being provided to my Department for appraisal."
"This detail remained outstanding from Waterford Airport until 13 December 2023", he continued. "Furthermore, the detail provided shows that the project costs have increased substantially above the original estimated cost of €12 million, deviating significantly from the original Government Decision in 2019. While I recognise that an early and positive decision is being sought by the airport in relation to its proposal, the necessary appraisal of the detail submitted, to ensure that due diligence is exercised in accordance with my Department’s Transport Appraisal Framework and the Public Spending Code/Infrastructure Guidelines, is essential."
Minister Ryan said that his Department are committed to prioritising the appraisal.
"I wish to assure the Deputy that my officials have prioritised this appraisal and an initial assessment of the detail submitted by the airport was completed in mid-February. As would be expected under any appraisal process, a number of clarification requests and questions seeking further detail have been raised by my Department. My officials have engaged with the airport on these matters, and I understand that airport management anticipate that they will be in a position to provide the necessary detail and clarifications this month. I will consider my Department's initial assessment of this proposal when this engagement with the airport is complete."
Speaking on Deise Today, Deputy Cullinane said the matter must be dealt with once and for all.
"Ultimately - this is a political decision as well. We do know that the leaders of the other two parties in government - Fine Gael and Fianna Fail - have both said that they want this dealt with. To be fair, I would imagine that every politician who has an interest in the South East does want this dealt with. I certainly want this dealt with and I know that other Oireachtas members have been raising this for the past couple of years. We all want to see the extension of the runway built, because I said this a number of years ago when asked about the Airport - it has no future."
"I obviously want a decision to be made on this as soon as possible", continued Deputy Cullinane. "I think it has taken far too long for the Department to actually make a decision and to come up with the funding from their element of the funding equation. He does say that this is an appraisal that is being prioritised by his Department and recognises that there is a desire within the South East for a rapid decision to be made. He cites the public spending code, due process, due diligence and so on - but in reality, it has taken so long to get here."
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