Taoiseach Simon Harris: 'Waterford Airport project needs to happen'

Taoiseach Simon Harris has commited the support of his party to the development and expansion of Waterford Airport.

Speaking while on a visit to Waterford on Sunday, the Fine Gael party leader said  that he wanted to "see that project happen".

"The Waterford Airport project needs to happen, it needs to happen along the lines of the 2019 agreement.

“I want to be absolutely crystal clear, I'm frustrated by some unhelpful comments that have been made in recent times by others. The Waterford Airport project needs to progress. This is important for Waterford. It needs to progress in the capacity that was agreed in 2019 around the 50-50 contribution,"the Taoiseach continued.

"This is a sensible construct because what it basically means is the state only has to put in money when the private element puts in money, too. It's been stalled for too long. I don't want to
give anyone a history lesson".

Fine Gael General Election candidate Senator John Cummins welcomed the Taoiseach’s comments saying “What is very clear is that Fine Gael is committed to the delivery of the Waterford Airport runway expansion project. The 2019 agreement of 50:50 funding is the basis of the current proposal that has been submitted by Waterford Airport.

"I have been making the case that the 2019 decision by cabinet should still stand with the only decision required, an alteration of the quantum of matching funding to take account of the increased  costs associated with the project.

“Clearly there hasn’t been a desire by the Minister of Transport to progress this project which is unfortunate. It is only one of a handful of government departments without a Fine Gael Minister for the past couple of years and it is my hope that following the election, the new Minister of Transport will be a Fine Gael Minister to enable this critical piece of infrastructure to be delivered”.