Dublin Airport sees Cork as threat, says deputy chief whip
Fianna Fáil TD Billy Kelleher has reiterated his stance that the DAA must cover the €160 million cost of Cork’s new terminal.
But his Government colleague Ivor Callely, junior minister at the Department of Transport, has failed to give any such assurance.
The Government wants Dublin, Cork and Shannon to separate fully and compete with each other as the final step in the break-up of the Aer Rianta structure.
When announcing the plans in July 2003, the then Transport Minister Seamus Brennan pledged that both Cork and Shannon would begin life as independent entities free of debt. The DAA, he indicated, would take responsibility for old debts, as well as meeting capital costs for Cork.
However, at a recent Oireachtas transport committee hearing, the chairman of the DAA, Gary McGann, refused to say if it would assume the debt.
At the same hearing, the chairman of the Cork Airport Authority, Joe Gantly, indicated Cork was preparing to meet the costs of the terminal itself. Subsequently, the current Transport Minister Martin Cullen refused to say whether he would honour his predecessor’s commitment.
But Mr Kelleher has insisted that Cork “should not be burdened with an excessive debt that could kill its commercial future”.
Speaking in the Dáil, he said it was imperative the DAA meets the terminal costs. “Whatever measures are in Cork Airport’s business plans, they should be adjudicated on the original Government policy assumption that it would be free of the debt for the development of the new terminal.”
But Mr Callely although agreeing that the Government “should not stifle or kill off the potential for growth that exists”, refused to give any guarantees.
“It is expected that certain issues will have to be discussed between the authorities before any final decisions are made,” he said.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
