Senator praises the 'courage' of local councillors for approving Waterford Airport investor

Waterford Airport
Waterford Senator Joe Conway has commended local councillors who voted in favour of a proposal which will see the Waterford Airport runway extended and widened to international standards.
During a special meeting in City Hall on Monday, councillors approved a €30 million private investment into airport.
Speaking during a Seanad hearing yesterday, Senator Conway acknowledged that the airport has had a “difficult existence for the past forty years”.
He added that he hopes it will now become “a great success story” similar to Knock Airport, which is celebrating is 40th year since opening.
“Not many people know that Waterford Airport was the airport from where the first Ryanair flight took off, but the success pattern of Ryanair and Waterford Airport could not be more of a contrast" Conway said.
“However, I am glad to tell the House that yesterday afternoon the members of Waterford City and County Council voted, almost unanimously, to conjoin with an American private enterprise consortium to develop the airport fully to accommodate big jet planes to land there.
Senator Conway praised the local councillors for their decision.
“I commend the councillors because there was a certain amount of opposition to giving away some sections of land. They really put their courage to the sticking place yesterday and I commend them on that.”
Senator Conway concluded that he hopes Waterford Airport will now follow a similar success pattern to that of Knock Airport.
“We should congratulate the international airport in Knock on a successful first 40 years. As it progresses towards its one-millionth passenger, the naysayers, like the naysayers in Waterford, have been confounded.
"It is a great success story and I hope the same will follow for Waterford as well."