Airport faces €80m debt in Government U-turn

CORK Airport Authority could be landed with debts of €80 million as the Government prepares to row back on a commitment to leave the new authority debt-free.

The commitment was given by former Transport Minister Seamus Brennan, who said Dublin Airport Authority should bear the cost of building the new terminal at Cork Airport after Aer Rianta was broken up.

But when Senator John Minihan raised the issue in the Seanad this week, the Department of Transport indicated that Cork is unlikely to start independent operations debt-free.