THE public body charged with the strategic development of the south-west will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the controversial debt issue facing Cork Airport.

BUSINESSMAN Ulick McEvaddy said yesterday he is confident that the Competition Authority will allow him access to Dublin Airport runway, clearing the way for him to build a third terminal there.

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.

DUBLIN Airport Authority (DAA) will today reveal plans for the controversial new second airport terminal that is estimated to cost up to €200 million.

VINCENT WALL’S letter (Irish Examiner, September 29) claims that the Dublin Airport Authority is best placed to develop the second terminal.

CORK City Council last night called on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern personally to intervene in the row over the €160 million debt for Cork Airport’s new terminal.

HUNDREDS of former aviation workers protested outside the Dáil yesterday, calling for their State pensions to be increased to match those of other public-sector retirees.

THE sale of the Great Southern Hotel group is set to become the first major stumbling block in social partnership talks as unions gear up to oppose any privatisation of the loss-making semi-State.

OVER €20 million will be set aside by the new Shannon Airport Authority (SAA) for a voluntary retirement package to attract at least 260 workers, an industry source confirmed last night.

LONG-SUFFERING passengers will have to pay for the expansion of the country’s main airport after plans for a new terminal were unveiled without any funding in place.

IN a Dáil protest to mark Irish AIDS Day, campaigners yesterday called on the Government to put sexual health on the political agenda by developing a national strategy to deal with the issue.

The row over the Cork Airport debt has descended into the realm of farce with the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) apparently assuming prerogative over the elected Government.

HOPES faded last night that Cork’s political representatives would obtain an urgent meeting with Transport Minister Martin Cullen to discuss the potentially crippling €80 million debt facing the city’s airport.

FINE GAEL TD Bernard Allen has again accused the Government of attempting to renege on the commitment to unburden Cork Airport of its €200 million debt.

CORK airport’s growth has been stunted for so long we must show thanks when Michael Cawley of Ryanair comes out in its support in relation to the negotiations on the financial crisis arising from the new terminal building (letters, February 17).

THE bill for the new Cork Airport development could eventually reach €200 million - at least €40m more than the figure being quoted at the moment.

THE Coalition parties seem set to agree a deal on the controversial second terminal at Dublin Airport on Wednesday.

RYANAIR has begun a High Court challenge to have the Government’s decision, to have ownership of the proposed second terminal for Dublin Airport transferred to the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), declared illegal.

AFTER months of clashing over competing ideologies Fianna Fáil last night emerged victorious having forged its stamp on government aviation policy for the remainder of the current Government.

THE Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has warned the proposed separation of Cork and Shannon could be jeopardised unless it is allowed to increase airport charges.