Airport lost in fog of gobbledegook
This sum could be up to €80m.
At last, Cork's Fianna Fáil TDs are getting stirred up.
Junior Minister Tony Killeen was dispatched to the Seanad to field questions from the Cork contingent.
His replies included the following: "Dublin airport authority will only be able to make the transfers when it has available sufficient distributable reserves to match the value of the assets being transferred."
What kind of gobbledegook is this? Myles na gCopaleen would break out in a paroxysm of coughing if he had to read that old guff.
Two things must happen. Firstly, the Cork airport authority needs to be far more robust in its dealings with the Dublin airport authority.
Look at how the clever people at Shannon have been good at being 'bolshie' for decades so much so that even ministers like Mary O'Rourke were only putty in the hands of the mid-west airport support groups who successfully defended the status quo on the stopover.
Shannon has also enjoyed a major competitive advantage over Cork for decades in terms of a superb airport infrastructure that includes air bridges, a long runway, etc. In these circumstances, Cork has been unfairly disadvantaged, especially in relation to flights to New York.
Secondly, Cork people must consider the airport issue carefully now. Even with half the debt, the airport will be going nowhere fast over the next 10 years because of the huge repayments. Business will be lost because there will be few, if any, flights to new destinations and even holding on to current traffic will be a struggle.
Cork airport had a bumper year in 2005, but if Cork's politicians, especially the Fianna Fáil members of Oireachtas, let Cork down on this crucial issue, it will be to their great shame.
It really is time for blood and honour for the sake of Cork airport. Our airport.
Thomas Whelan
61 Father Matthew Road
Turners Cross
Cork.
