Councillors agree that while the deal is the best option, it is far from perfect
Councillors agree that this was not a perfect deal but it is the best they can hope for. Stock Image.
While the deal did pass, councillors were not without their concerns.
Reservations included the anonymity of the investor, the selling off of public land for a tiny amount and the fact that the conditions are not yet legally binding.
Cllr Joe O’Riordan was the most notable as the only councilor to deviate from supporting the proposal.
He said he wasn’t comfortable going into a contract with an “unknown entity” and was the only councillor to abstain.
“I find that absolutely appalling. It’s really unsatisfactory. I won’t be supporting the motion and I won’t be opposing the motion. I just wish the new airport well because it’s obviously going to be passed, I just wish you all the very best,” said Cllr O’Riordan.
Cllr Damien Geoghegan was concerned about the concessions made, the €50,000 freehold on the land, the money waived, as well as the rates.
He said that after all the Council’s work keeping the airport afloat, the deal “stiffed” them.
The West Waterford Councillor did support the motion because he said it was the only way to keep the airport open.
“The only benefit from this that I see is that we will now be out of running the airport. We will no longer be pouring hundreds of thousands of euros to keep the lights on.
“I wish the new investor well. I wish the airport well going forward. It is a case of crossing our fingers here and hoping for the best that Waterford Airport will develop."
He did ask that the new airport’s representatives come in every year and update the Council on its progress while acknowledging they were under no obligation.
Chief Executive Sean McKeown said that was a “reasonable request” and said he would ask.
On the other hand, Cllr Mary Roche said being stiffed was one way to look at it, but she felt they needed to “reframe” their thinking as this was an investment.
Cllr Roche said: “I would see it more as an investment. Quite frankly, an investment of €3.5 million of land for $35 million is good value from what I see and what we are supposed to do as the authority of the largest city in the region. We have a responsibility to be the economic driver,” said Cllr Roche.
Cllr Roche was not the only councillor to see the Council’s role as an investor as opposed to a party making concessions.
Most councillors felt that while this was not a perfect deal, it was the best they were going to get.
