TDs from all of the main political parties are seeking an urgent cross-party meeting with Minister for Transport Martin Cullen on Cork airport's €160 million debt.
Concern is growing that the Cork Airport Authority (CAA) will have to carry half the cost of a new airport terminal despite a pledge by the Government in 2003 that the authority would be debt free.
Lord Mayor of Cork Deirdre Clune (FG) says it is vital that the airport begins its competitive life debt free if it is to stand any chance of competing with Dublin and Shannon airports.
She arranged a meeting with seven of Cork's 10 TDs on Monday evening, including four Fianna Fáil representatives, to discuss a strategy to stop the airport from having to shoulder half the debt from the construction of the new terminal.
Ms Clune said yesterday that TDs from across the political spectrum in Cork were very concerned that the new authority would be saddled with the debt.
She said TDs who attended Monday's meeting had agreed to ask Mr Cullen to meet with a cross-party delegation so that concerns on the issue could be discussed.
"I think it is important that they [the TDs] agreed to go to him on a united front."
Mr Cullen's predecessor, Seamus Brennan, pledged in 2003 that all contractual arrangements involving Aer Rianta would be transferred to the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) when the three airports were split up and made independent.
Mediated talks between the CAA and the Dublin authority are continuing in an effort to come to a deal on how the costs of Cork's new terminal are to be shared.
Meanwhile, members of the South West Regional Authority's airport consultative committee are to meet this Friday to discuss the debt issue.
A spokeswoman for Mr Cullen said yesterday that the Minister had not been approached by the TDs in relation to a proposed meeting, and would not comment further until then.