'A political travesty' and 'stark and shameful' - more anger in Waterford over airport fund
Waterford Airport is waiting for €12 million in funding while Cork receives €200 million. Stock Image.
Waterford TD David Cullinane has criticised the funding of Cork Airport while Waterford is left waiting.
The Sinn Féin Deputy was reacting on social media to the news that Cork Airport was to receive €200 million in funding from DAA, for an extension over the next 10 years, as part of the DAA Capital Development Plan.
“€200m investment for Cork Airport, and yet Waterford is still waiting for a fraction of this for Waterford Airport. The two local Government Ministers need to deliver for Waterford,” said Deputy Cullinane.
According to RTÉ, the extension of Cork Airport will include a new mezzanine floor and passenger security screening area, a new duty-free shop, a new and larger executive lounge, additional boarding gates and the extension of the existing car parks.
The DAA is a state-owned global airport and travel retail group that manages Dublin and Cork airports
Deputy Cullinane's colleague Conor McGuinness also hit out at the announcement, suggesting the Taoiseach's county may have the home-ground advantage.
He called Friday's announcement in Cork, "stark and shameful."
“This Government has the money when it suits - but only if you’re in Micheál Martin’s backyard.
"The €200 million announced for Cork Airport this week dwarfs the €12 million needed to complete the Waterford runway extension, which has planning permission in place and regional funding secured.
"There’s no excuse for this delay. It’s a clear political decision to neglect Waterford,” said Deputy McGuinness.
But speaking to WLR after the announcement, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the government is working on Waterford Airport.
"We're working on that, the Minister is working on it, Mary Butler has been in touch with me about it, and we've been in touch with Minister Darragh O'Brien. We'll take each project one step at a time, and obviously, it's being worked on within the Department," said Taoiseach Martin.
Earlier this month, Minister O'Brien said he was considering next steps following a briefing from his team.
Former Waterford TD Matt Shanahan took to social media to point out that the Government's review of the airport was completed last August, and still there is no progress.
He said the delay is part of a pattern in the Government's treatment of Waterford.
"What is happening in Waterford is a political and economic travesty… We have had to fight for decades for any semblance of appropriate healthcare.
"Our third-level ambitions have been crushed with an amalgamation that is starved of any meaningful funding required to solve our regional brain drain. Our Port and Airport aspirations are being deliberately torpedoed, and our regional connectivity is restricted to N24/N25 routes, which have not seen any investment in over 20 years.
"€200 million is now being advanced to Cork Airport to support regional enterprise and development - yet nothing is being offered to Waterford Airport to help develop or spur tourism or jobs development in our county and region," said Mr Shanahan.
