Senator Cummins hits back at 'disrespectful comments' on Waterford Airport

Senator John Cummins has rejected “disrespectful comments” describing the proposal to extend the runway of Waterford Airport as a "pig in a poke" by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport.

Speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Minister of State James Lawless said: "Whether the money comes at the start, the middle or the finish, the fact is the State is being asked to contribute significant funding to buy a pig in a poke to an extent, based on a business case that, being frank, could be stronger... could be a lot stronger.” 

Deputy Lawless went on to pour water on the value-for-money that the deal offers.

Senator Cummins said that he is “shocked by the comments of Minister Lawless yesterday in the Dáil because they are completely at odds with Taoiseach Simon Harris’s position, as articulated on Waterford radio in the last couple of weeks.

“To me the comments are disrespectful, and it is not clear to me that there is an understanding or an appreciation of what is being proposed by the airport.

“To question the forward projections of passenger traffic because they are in excess of the airport's best year in 2008 is a complete misnomer. The 2008 passenger traffic was achieved using 30, 50 and 70-seat aircraft. The business plan for Waterford Airport is to lengthen and widen the runway to enable it to cater for A320 and B737 aircraft, which are capable of carrying up to 190 passengers per flight.”

Cummins, who served five years on the board of Waterford Airport, said that the airport had made the correct decision to “go after the runway extension project as opposed to chasing a smaller and smaller pool of operators capable of utilising the existing runway".

He acknowledged Deputy Lawless’ point that the cost of the extension had doubled but said that this was due to inflation and the costs associated with planning approval and keeping the project in line with Irish Aviation standards, but maintained that “it is still excellent value for money in my view and will ensure regional connectivity to the South East”.

Senator Cummins said: “I have done my homework in getting the support of the party leader and Taoiseach for this project”.  He said he will be “ensuring” the extension will be part of the Fine Gael manifesto for the upcoming general election.

“It is for Fianna Fáil and the Green Party to outline their party’s position on Waterford Airport but it has always been and will continue to be one of my main infrastructure priorities," he said.

Read more on the airport story here