Meeting with Cullen on airport debt ‘unlikely’

HOPES faded last night that Cork’s political representatives would obtain an urgent meeting with Transport Minister Martin Cullen to discuss the potentially crippling €80 million debt facing the city’s airport.

Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin said such a meeting is unlikely to take place before the conclusion of a mediation process between the Cork and Dublin airport authorities. “That process is now under way,” he said.

He also defended former Transport Minister Seamus Brennan who, during the announcement of the break-up of Aer Rianta in 2003, said Cork and Shannon airports would start independent operations debt free.