Chamber boss hits out at Government over handling of Cork Airport debt

THE Cork Chamber has launched its strongest attack yet on the Government for its handling of the controversial Cork Airport debt issue.

Chamber president Roger Flack, who represents over 200 businesses in the region, said events of the last few days have led to him question whether the Government’s so-called independent evaluation of the issue was nothing more than a “smoke screen”.

Mr Flack was speaking in the wake of comments from senior Government sources that the Cork Airport Authority (CAA) will be saddled with some level of debt despite a 2003 Government pledge it would be debt free after the break-up of Aer Rianta.

Those comments were reported the day after Transport Minister Martin Cullen confirmed he had received a report from consultants BDO Simpson Xavier who were commissioned to examine the debt controversy.

Mr Cullen, who said he had not studied the report in detail, said it had been forwarded to PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) consultants for further independent analysis.

He said he expected feedback within weeks and a decision by the autumn.

But Mr Flack said the comments of Government sources suggested a decision on saddling the CAA with debt had already been made.

“That this decision now appears to have been made prior to the Government receiving the comments of PwC casts doubt on whether the whole evaluation process has been a smoke screen for a decision already made,” he said.

“It is deplorable that a decision appears to have been made that Cork Airport is about to be burdened with a debt and that the only decision to be made at this stage by the minister concerns the level of that debt”.

Mr Flack said it was time for the Government to honour its commitment to the debt-free status of Cork Airport promised by former Transport Minister Seamus Brennan, when he announced the break-up of Aer Rianta in July 2003.

“Nothing less will be acceptable to the business community of Cork and the entire southern region,” he said.

“We need to ensure the government does not back-track on their commitment to this key piece of regional infrastructure and burden it with costs and charges that may make the airport uncompetitive internationally.

“The importance of our airport cannot be underestimated in attracting US and overseas investment, as well as acting as a key access point into and out of the region for business and tourism.

“If balanced regional development and the National Spatial Strategy mean anything, Cork Airport, a gateway for development of Ireland’s largest economic region outside of Dublin must be competitive.

Mr Flack also called on all local elected representatives to stand up and be counted to ensure that the correct government decision is made on this issue.

Meanwhile, the CAA has launched a €250,000 advertising campaign to highlight its new facilities due to open to the public by the end of July.