No airport debt relief as FF judges local turbulence
The party’s candidates in Cork are now resigned that headquarters will not bail them out by canceling the airport debt before the General Election.
Initially candidates across all parties expected Government to take the cheque book out to secure the tenuous seats in Cork.
However, after in-house analysis, Fianna Fáil is satisfied it can retain three seats in Cork South Central and two in North Central without forking out €220 million to service the debt.
The Party’s number-crunchers in Dublin are predicting the airport debt will not swing voters against its candidates.
While keeping tight-lipped about the results of internal polls, FF head-office said it was confident of defying the pundits and will return three seats from Cork South Central.
Polls put Fianna Fáil’s Carrigaline candidate Michael McGrath in the battle for the final seats and he said it is foolish to think the airport issue will not inflict damage.
“Despite what people say, it is coming up at the door and it does put seats at risk,” he said.
He accepts it may be a case Fianna Fáil head-office is afraid of upsetting the powerful lobby in the capital by transferring the debt to the Dublin Airport Authority.
“Certainly there is merit to the argument. If the debt is not accepted by the Cork Airport Authority, then it will fall to Dublin and that would have an impact up there,” he said.
His FF colleague in South Central John Dennehy said despite initial optimism he realises the issue will not be resolved before May 24.
He said it will have to be worked out over time, but that the CAA will start life carrying the burden.
Local resignation comes as a leaked report from the CAA said the airport can only manage a debt of less than €60 million.
This is in conflict with a similar assessment carried out by the DAA, which claimed the southern airport can absorb €100 million.
Leading the criticism from the opposition benches, North Central Fine Gael candidate Bernard Allen there will be a price to be paid at the ballot box.
However, he said he could not commit FG to clearing the debt if elected.
“The people of Cork cannot believe a word the government says as a result of this blatant, broken promise... [which] they made in writing.
“Immediately on going into government, we will call in the DAA to investigate all aspects [of] the break-up of Aer Rianta and ... Cork, as a gateway, will be a priority,” he said.
