John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I listened with great interest to an interview with Mr. Michael O'Leary of Ryanair on Today FM last week in which he was asked why Ryanair does not fly from Waterford Regional Airport. By the way, that is the airport which launched the airline, Ryanair. It will come as no surprise to the Minister that Mr. O'Leary replied that the runway is too short for commercially viable jets. For instance, it is not capable of landing a Boeing 737, of which model the whole of Ryanair's fleet is comprised.

I asked the previous Minister the status of the compulsory purchase order of the 18 acres of land to facilitate the €150 million extensive works at Waterford for which the Department pledged upwards of €400,000. I note he previously told me that the board and management of the airport and the local authority had been engaged in a fund-raising exercise with the private sector to raise the necessary balance of €850,000. Has the Minister any news on that? Has that process advanced?

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