Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last week the Taoiseach indicated he is keen to invest in Waterford Airport. Of course, we have been here before. Few will forget the €25 million of Government money approved by the last Fine Gael-Green Party coalition in 2007 for the runway extension in the airport. This promise turned to dust in the last days of the Celtic tiger. There is once again strong optimism in the south-east region that the runway might commence this summer. It appears it needs only approval from the Minister’s Department to make it happen and begin in the coming weeks.

Many of us recall a proud Cork Taoiseach cutting the cake at the opening of the Cork runway extension project in the early days of this Government, a model example of a project swiftly approved and completed. The Minister is examining the business case with all due haste, it appears. I ask him to provide a timeline. More importantly, does he share the Taoiseach's keenness for investment in this project?

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