Waterford Airport.

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965226#Comment_121965226

I won't disagree I'm not sure that I have any faith in the board, comers or management.

You will previously see me questioning what is in it for the Galway lads as we know there is little to no return on an investment in a regional airport.

My thinking was, if the airport is as critical as the government say it is, what's stopping them pumping in €30 million, removing the board and management and replacing them with a new board and management.

I'm just sick to death of government waffle saying how important it is and doing f all about it.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965373#Comment_121965373

Yeah I think the elephant in the room is that the airport is not at all critical, and as you say if it was there would be a public facility there.

It might be a case of how they can make the losses as minimal as possible, and how they can avoid a situation where the investors feck off or sell the place after getting all the public money

That's an unpopular sentiment but it's probably the reality of the situation.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965373#Comment_121965373

I'd imagine that's the scenario the Comers would love. A CPO where they get a hefty chunk of public money to buy out their stake.

Dum_Dum_2

If the Government feel stuck with the Comer's then that's on them. They chose not to build a public airport and they chose to drag their heels. Now they have to deal with pumped-up costs. Not our problem. They need to find the cash and they need to make things right.

purplepanda

Why should people from Waterford, South Tipp / Kilkenny / Wexford have to travel for more than 3 hours to Dublin or Cork Airports, when other airports in the west are much more accessible & easier to travel to for regional passengers?

We have a poster from the West of course, claiming 2 hours from Waterford City to Dublin Airport, good luck achieving that on the Train & then Airport Bus, or Bus, even if direct, when the traffic is heavy on the motorways / M50. Cork Airport is nearer but still takes more than 2 hours to Cork City when traffic is light & then another 30mins bus to Airport. Let's not mention the train LOL!.

We still have no direct Eurobus / Bus Eireann / bus services to Wales & England since Covid. Also traveling by Sail Rail is no longer viable due to lack of connecting rail / bus services on half the ferry sailings to & from Fishguard / Rosslare. So it's more traveling down to Cork or up to Dublin.

Dum_Dum_2

Now on Week 16 of crippling inertia by the Government.

Dum_Dum_2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121966097#Comment_121966097

Waterford is going through a low point with wider connectivity. Cultural exchange with the Dubs up the M9 doesn't count.

Lost the rail-sail link via Fishguard. Irish Rail sabotaged it. (Google the "Fishguard and Rosslare Railways and Harbours Company" for the interesting history).
Lost the Airport. Small runway crippled it.
Lost the bus-sail link via Pembroke. I'm not sure why this hasn't been reinstated?

Up until containerisation and successive inept Governments, I'd suggest Waterford would have been more international and outward looking and certainly better plugged-in to the wider world.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121968773#Comment_121968773

Approximately 234 weeks of inertia from the Airport after receiving approval in principle for the funding.

Deise Vu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121969249#Comment_121969249

Yeah, coming up with a detailed costed plan that encompasses the requirements of the existing stakeholders, new investors, the Govt and three councils is exactly the same as reading and reviewing the resulting report.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121970203#Comment_121970203

4.5 years though?

Deise Vu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121970351#Comment_121970351

As far as I recall, the Comer brothers only came on board in August 2022. I would imagine it is very difficult to get people to confirm their time and money on the very thin promise of govt support for the South East. I mean it would be unheard of that the Govt was just kicking the can down the road when they insisted on matching funds but you can’t really be sure can you?
Id say there was total shock in the Dept of Transport when the Comets came on board. We will probably never get the extension but it’s good to catch the Cork/ Dublin govt out on their bullsh1t.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121971105#Comment_121971105

But even if they did come on board then, there was still nothing submitted for 15-16 months afterwards.

The whole thing looks very shabby really. Imagine your bank gave you mortgage approval in principle and you came back to them years later - they'd be wondering who you are.

That's before we even consider the fact that they submitted a business case without informing members of their board. Very strange behaviour.

azimuth17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972194#Comment_121972194

Forgive me for saying so but you seem determined to find fault with it. Its simple for us.. People,private and local authority are prepared to put money into it and are waiting for a government response. Its very small money and worth a bet to deliver a piece of infrastructure. All else is simply raking over the coals. Its a yes or no job in truth.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121972775#Comment_121972775

Well this is the thing - I think the ball is back in the airport's court or it has been until the last couple of days. Some extra detail was sought from airport management, and they indicated that they should be able to get back with a response by the end of March.

The ball has been in the airport's court for about 53 of the last 55 months. I don't think too many posters here were complaining about how long the airport took to proceed after they received the approval in principle, and maybe if people in Waterford are frustrated with anyone they should be frustrated with them.

The other point is that I really doubt it's a simple yes or no job. Costs will have spiraled in all those years between the approval in principle being granted and the updated business being submitted. Maybe the Councils and the investors can match the additional cost and increase their investment - but maybe they can't.

I would like to see a better quality of discussion about the airport and what might be possible. I personally get a bit fed up of nearly every thread turning into a political moan about how Waterford is being treated unfairly - it just might be possible that there are two sides to every story.

Valhalla90

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973052#Comment_121973052

is that you Ryan?

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973074#Comment_121973074

Ryanair.

Dum_Dum_2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973074#Comment_121973074

Meg Ryan and her sister Mags. Sleepless in Ferrybank.

azimuth17

While there might be two sides to every story, we have a record of coming out the wrong side of government decisions far too often for reasons that are often opaque. In 2016, one example, government were on for ceasing all emergency heart attack procedures at UHW . Now following eight years of protest and assessment of figures it turns out that we have two cath labs which perform nearly the same number of procedures as CUH and the emergency service will be extended to seven days a week twelve hours a day. Some criticisms of government actions are more than warranted. The airport is in the same category.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973520#Comment_121973520

I'm no moderator here but it might be better to just set up a thread where all those grievances are aired and not brought into every discussion on every topic.

azimuth17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973536#Comment_121973536

Unfortunately, grievances always tend to surface when projects are delayed as in UHW or SETU or Airport etc. Delay happens so often with Waterford investments. I dont know why. No argument about our airport or other state impacted infrastruture investments can really happen outside the political context. To think it can, is wishful thinking, unless, without being offensive, you are a party member.

hardybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121973948#Comment_121973948

I'm actually trying to keep politics out of the thread when others are desperate to keep it in. I'd much prefer to discuss the substance of what the investment might be able to achieve and what the future for the airport might look like. Far more likely that others are party members or political activists rather than me.

The last thing I'll say on this is that the overall discussion will be better for everyone if there is balance in the views expressed, or maybe if there's some actual discussion about the airport itself (rather than speculation about stuff like what a Minister's views might be etc.).

I think it's absolutely great that people would be passionate about Waterford getting investment in an airport or other things, but if people are going to have a cut off politicians they really should be really having a go at those running the airport too as they've been sitting on this for nearly half a decade.

Dum_Dum_2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974085#Comment_121974085

There's nothing to "discuss". It's all waffle. Time for action. This is the only region without access to mass aviation. The Government need to make it right. If they don't like the Comers et al, then they can build it themselves.

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974085#Comment_121974085

The only way you can have that conversation is by seeing the business case.

I would imagine due to commerical sensitive subjects it won't be available to the public.

The positives I see, for relatively small money, completion of the runway I would expect we see return flights to London, possibly other UK city's and the chance of mainland EU/summer destinations.

This would inturn increase employment locally for the airport itself and other businesses linked to the airport.

It helps increase tourists into Waterford and the South East (providing it's marketed abroad)

It increases the chances of increased FDI, international students for Waterford campuses. It opens the doors to other businesses locating here who may have offices else where.

The future for R117 is secured, aero club and Atlantic flight training school. Opportunities in aircraft maintenance can be explored as well as freight/cargo.

Granted the majority of the above might not materialise but there is a chance that it would.

Not investing means any chance of the above is gone.

The risk, government invest, it doesn't work people complain and moan that government invested in a white elephant and its forgotten about in a number of weeks.

Concerns, are the Comer brothers really on board?

What happens it government commit but the private investment is not there?

I presume they are questions, topics that the department are exploring.

914

Just need a few arab labs to come back to Waterford

https://www.businesspost.ie/news/middle-east-investors-amassing-1000-acres-in-wicklow-to-build-international-airport/

mail

An International Airport for the South East at last!

https://m.independent.ie/regionals/wicklow/news/no-frills-airport-could-open-in-just-four-years/27854031.html

Bards

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121987357#Comment_121987357

Publication date was June 2nd 2010, didn't happen and won't happen

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121987586#Comment_121987586

Aye, it just made me lol.

Although it will never happen I do think it shows there is a need for another airport along the east/south east which would strengthen Waterford's case.

Airport already in existence, just needs small money to make it a viable option.

road_high

this seems like an insane idea- https://x.com/businessposthq/status/1776890201966616625?s=46&t=56pTEwavEvBg9OjIycQ6jwhttps://x.com/businessposthq/status/1776890201966616625?s=46&t=56pTEwavEvBg9OjIycQ6jw

road_high

granted it is a lot nearer to Dublin

purplepanda

Looks like the Arklow Airport thread has suddenly burst into life, whilst Waterford Airport just needs investment towards the cost of a longer runway.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055950283/arklow-international-airport