Empire strikes back as Ahern lands starring role as the aviator

You spend years waiting for an extra airport terminal, then two come along at once, writes Paul O’Brien.

THE Star Wars movie saga took the best part of 30 years to complete, but at least its director, George Lucas, released trailers along the way to keep the fans happy.

To many observers, it feels like the Government’s decision on a second terminal at Dublin Airport has taken almost as long.

Certainly, the leaders of the opposition showed their exasperation yesterday morning in the Dáil, demanding to know of the Taoiseach whether Fianna Fáil and the PDs had reached an agreement.

Bertie Ahern, though, was less eager to provide a sneak peak.

“I do not intend to provide a trailer of the decisions that will be made - I will not get into that.”

His caution was, perhaps, understandable.

The coalition partners have been divided on the terminal issue since they were returned to office in 2002.

In that year’s programme for Government, they made a loose commitment.

“We will examine proposals for a new independent terminal at Dublin Airport and progress them if the evidence suggests that such a terminal will deliver significant benefits.”

In reality, it was never in doubt that a new terminal would be necessary - it had been a subject of discussion at Government level since the late 1990s.

The question, though, was how to ‘progress’ it.

And, between them, Fianna Fáil and the PDs struggled desperately to agree on a plan.

It became a farce.

On the one hand, former Transport Minister Seamus Brennan was indicating in 2003 that a decision on the terminal was imminent.

On the other, Ryanair was publishing full-page advertisements in the national press excoriating the Government - and Mr Ahern in particular - for “dithering”.

The battle seemed to be one of political practicality versus economic ideology.

Mr Ahern, with one eye on appeasing the trade unions and another on shoring up his Dublin Central constituency (where many airport workers live), wanted the second terminal to remain in the hands of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA).

Tánaiste Mary Harney, hell-bent on ensuring competition at the airport, insisted the terminal had to be privately operated.

The PDs, no friends of the trade unions, believed allowing the State-owned DAA to run the second terminal would be nothing short of a disaster.

In the last few months, the Government realised it could delay no longer; a solution had to be found.

But that was easier said than done.

And despite Mr Ahern’s insistence yesterday that he would be releasing no trailer, the reality was that this was a battle played out very publicly.

PD transport spokesman Senator Tom Morrissey spoke to any media outlet which would listen to him, repeating ad nauseam the party’s ‘competition’ mantra.

Transport Minister Martin Cullen, however, was refusing to play ball.

Only last week, he rubbished the notion of competing terminals, saying there was no example anywhere in the world of where such a concept had worked.

“On behalf of the Government, I am the guardian of the taxpayers’ investment in this facility, which is one of the key strategic pieces of infrastructure in this country,” he told the Dáil.

“The airport should be in State hands.

“I have not seen evidence from any other country to suggest otherwise and I want to progress on this basis.”

The PDs insisted Mr Cullen’s statements did not mean they had lost the battle for an independently run second terminal.

They insisted a deal was close.

This week, hints were dropped by both sides that the deal was, in fact, done.

Nonetheless, Mr Ahern was reluctant to confirm as much yesterday morning.

He still had to hold a final meeting with Ms Harney in advance of last night’s Cabinet meeting.

However, trailers or not, the word had already spread by that stage.

The deal was done - a whole three years after the Government had pledged to look at the issue.

The terminal would be built by 2009 - a whole seven years after that initial pledge - and that’s if construction deadlines are met.

To add to this, the Government plans a sequel, in the shape of a third terminal.

This time, they’re promising the trailers shortly - in the form of “advance planning” for the facility.

Based on the Government’s record on terminal two, though, it would be wise for viewers not to buy the popcorn any time soon.