Airport boss appeals to Government for aid

THE boss of a regional airport which has been brought to its knees in the past fortnight last night appealed to the Government for financial aid.

The South East Regional Airport in Waterford will close early in the new year, unless it receives State aid in the region of €800,000.

It cannot continue to provide the level of manpower and services which are required, airport boss Nicholas Fewer, told Transport Minister Séamus Brennan, last night. A meeting with the minister, as well as locally-based Environment Minister Martin Cullen, was continuing late last night in a last-ditch effort to save the regional airport.

The board of the airport issued protective notice to its 22 employees earlier this week. The decision was spurred by the decision by Euroceltic Airways to withdraw its services from January 26, 2003.

The airport received €410,000 from the Government as a marketing grant this year. But its minimum running costs are more than twice that.