Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Transport the proposals he has to provide capital funding for a runway extension at Waterford Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10988/10]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Because of the difficulties with the public finances, I decided in July 2008 that insofar as development projects are concerned, expenditure under the regional airports grant scheme should be focused on project elements where the airports have already entered into contractual commitments.

The provision in my Department's Vote to fund the capital expenditure grant scheme for all the Regional Airports in 2010 is €3 million. My Department is currently aiming to establish priorities for grant aid from the funds available having regard to those remaining contractual commitments and an assessment of requirements for safety and security-related projects likely to arise during the year.

Projects identified for funding at Waterford included a proposed runway extension. There are no existing contractual commitments in respect of this project and in the current financial climate my priority will be safety or security related projects.

I expect that a Value for Money review of regional airports being carried out within my Department will assist me in evaluating the appropriate scale of a regional airports programme in future years, bearing in mind my aviation policy objectives, the improved surface transport links provided under Transport 21 and the need to continue to address the difficulties with our public finances.