HE’S not the most popular Minister in Co Donegal at the minute, having shelved cash for the A5.
Now people who fly from Donegal to Dublin – because our roads are so dangerous and poor – are being targeted by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.
He has warned that taxpayers cash for regional airports including at Carrickfin will stop under this Government.
He insisted: “We have a ridiculous situation where we have an airport if you follow the coastline: one in Donegal, one in Mayo, one in Galway, one in Shannon covering Limerick and Clare, another in Kerry, another one in Cork and another in Waterford.”
“What do you think happened? None of them were making any money. They were all losing a lot of money and expecting to be covered by the taxpayer in the case of the regional airports, or the DAA [Dublin Airport Authority] in the case of the State airports.”
“That is not really an aviation policy at all, it was political cowardice that it was ever allowed to happen.”
“It is our intention over a period of time, though it will take a period of time, to phase out subsidies altogether to the regional airports.”
“The operational subsidy will be phased out over time. There is evidence that some of the regional airports can do it. Kerry has money in the bank and almost makes a profit, Knock almost makes a profit as things stand.
“There is evidence that well-run small regional airports can do it for themselves.
“They do it in other countries too. If they are in that position now, they would be in an even better position in a few years’ time. We will work with them to do that, it is not an attempt to close them down.”
The government contract with Donegal however has three more years to run.
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