A "scandalous" lack of Government funding for the South East Regional Airport has been criticised by the chairman of the airport board. With a new name and creative plans for expansion, things are finally looking up for the former Waterford Airport, which has struggled for some time and was on the brink of closure last year.
But while there is optimism about the future the airport's board, made up of business leaders and local government representatives, believes the State is providing much greater support to other regional airports.
Mr Nicholas Fewer, the chairman of the board, said Waterford was the only such facility not benefiting from the €9 million in State subsidies for regional airports to meet public service obligations.
"Last year Kerry got €2.9 million, Galway €2.8 million, Knock €1.19 million, Sligo €1.09 million and Donegal €0.97 million, while Waterford got nothing under the public service obligation heading," he said.
"The other airports also received substantial funding for marketing, while Waterford got only €254,000."
The Department of Public Enterprise, however, says its hands are tied by the EU Commission in relation to the public service obligation regime. PSO subsidies only allowed for airports in more remote parts of the country.
A spokesman said the Department had made the case to the Commission for Waterford's inclusion, but "the EU ruled out Waterford under the scheme on grounds of proximity to Dublin and existing access by rail and road.
"We will certainly approach the EU again, but there is no indication that such a move would be successful," he said.
Mr Fewer said road and rail access to Waterford was "seriously deficient" and, unless the south-east could maintain and develop its air links, it would become economically isolated.
"We are asking for at least parity of treatment with other regions. Surely if Kerry can attract a subsidy of €2.9 million, Waterford should be able to draw down enough to guarantee its sustainability and future development," he said.
The Department spokesman also pointed out that between 1996 and 2001 the airport had received €1.3 million from the Exchequer, in addition to €1.7 million in EU regional development funding.
The Exchequer funding was under three headings: marketing, infrastructure and the National Development Plan.
The comparable figures for the other airports were: Kerry €2.5 million; Donegal €1.3 million; Sligo €1.1 million; Knock €3 million; and Galway €2.6 million. Galway and Knock had invested significantly in infrastructure in this period, he added.
The Waterford airport will, however, to continue to fight vigorously for parity of funding, said Mr Fewer. In the meantime, it will move ahead with imaginative plans to expand its business.
In partnership with Euroceltic, the airline which currently operates a daily service to London and will shortly start weekend flights to Nantes in France, it plans to increase passenger traffic to 100,000 a year over the next three years.
There are also plans to develop the range of enterprises at the business park adjoining the airport and to introduce a comprehensive pilot-training facility. In the medium term the runway will be expanded to enable it to accommodate jet aircraft, if funds become available.
The arrival this month of CHC (Ireland) Ltd, which is to provide a 24-hour helicopter search-and-rescue service from the airport from July 1st, is also seen a significant development for the facility.