John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Murdock. My next question is a constituency issue to do with regional airports. The Department has been very helpful in recent years in regard to the provision of funding for one part of the runway at Waterford Airport. That project has to do with health and safety issues. I understand planning permission is being sought and the Department has given assistance in that regard. There are difficulties with the airline industry across the Continent. The people managing the airport in Waterford are working in a very competitive environment and are trying very hard to find a commercial customer to deliver a London-Waterford route. We hope they will have some success in that regard in the near future.

When it comes to capital budgets within the Department as they pertain to regional airports, are we looking at the same allocation for next year or is an increase likely? In the case of Waterford, there may need to be another cash influx to deal with the other end of the runway and related matters.