City plans take off with €140m deal

TRANSPORT Minister Seamus Brennan hit the nail on the head when he said the expansion of Cork Airport was not a question of what was good for Aer Rianta — but what was good for Cork.

Yesterday he put his money where his mouth is by giving the go ahead for redeveloping an airport literally bursting at the seams as traffic levels surpass all predictions.

After months of speculation about the €140 million project, and even though Aer Rianta’s future is still in the balance, this decision to give the green light is to be warmly welcomed.

Besides creating 600 badly needed construction jobs, the objective is a modern airport capable of providing a quality service for more than two million customers a year.

Hopefully, it will be completed by 2005 when Cork’s status as European Capital of Culture is celebrated.

Regrettably, unless the Government also gives the green light for the city’s new school of music, Cork will be deprived of a major cultural focus during that landmark year.