Ireland South MEP, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, has criticised the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, for refusing to meet with her to discuss the future funding of Waterford airport…
She has accused the Minister of dragging his feet on funding Waterford airport and called on him to release funding for the airport’s runway extension immediately.
According to Ní Mhurchú, there is a 12m private investment proposal on the table but those investors will not wait around forever. This week, Minister Eamon Ryan refused to meet with the newly elected MEP because of diary commitments.
Ní Mhurchú described this as a “cop out” and called on the Minister to engage with elected representatives and expedite the process to release funding which will allow Waterford airport to become a functional airport once again.
Ní Mhurchú has vowed to fight to ensure Waterford airport becomes a key part of the infrastructure in the South East,
“A runway extension will enable Waterford airport to handle jets such as those that are used by Ryanair. I recently spoke to Michael O’ Leary who has told me that Ryanair are interested in providing flights to and from Waterford airport. I hope to meet with Ryanair again when we resume our duties in Brussels at the end of August. We need to facilitate the return of commercial flights at Waterford Airport for the first time in seven years. The economy in the South East depends on it”
“We need match funding from the Minister to drive the investment on. I am today calling on Minister Ryan to engage with stakeholders to get the airport up and running again. It is not acceptable that he should refuse to meet with duly elected representatives”
Ní Mhurchú pointed out that airports bring jobs, investment and a functioning airport in the South East and would allow our pharmaceutical industry in the South East to export their products from Waterford.
Speaking to Wexford Weekly, she said:
“It makes no sense driving two hours up the road to an over heated Dublin airport, when we have our own airport right here in the South East.
Ní Mhurchú has also reiterated her previous statements on the potential for Waterford airport to become Ireland’s first dedicated centre for aerospace research and development in collaboration with the South East Technological University (SETU).
Ní Mhurchú, a board member at the SETU, got behind a report which concluded that Waterford airport would be an ideal base for Ireland’s first dedicated centre for aerospace research and development.
Wexford Weekly
This article was published by a member of the Wexford Weekly team.