Coalition gulf deepens over second airport terminal

THE embarrassing political impasse between the Coalition partners over a second terminal for Dublin Airport showed no sign of being resolved yesterday as yet another Cabinet meeting came and went without a decision being reached.

After a week of continued behind-the-scenes manoeuvring between Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Tánaiste Mary Harney and Transport Minister Martin Cullen, the ideological gulf between the Progressive Democrats and Fianna Fáil remained so wide that the matter was not even discussed at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.

Discussions have been ongoing since before Easter after Ms Harney indicated there would have to be competition between the terminals.

However, Fianna Fáil wants the owner of the airport, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), to own the second terminal, and to be able to tender for the operation of the facility.

Spokespersons for both Mr Ahern and Ms Harney confirmed that discussions were still ongoing but were unable to say whether the issue was any closer to being resolved.

Earlier, an obstinate Mr Ahern flatly refused to respond to repeated Dáil questions on when a decision would be reached.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny accused the Government of being in a state of paralysis over the ownership of the new terminal.