asked the Minister for Transport and Power the statistics available which support the suggestion that unfavourable weather conditions are likely to delay the completion of Cork Airport.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Completion of Cork Airport.
16.
Work commenced at Cork Airport site last November. In the period 1st November, 1959 to 31st October, 1960, the total amount of rainfall in the Cork area at the point of measurement nearest to the airport site (namely Cork University College) was 57.65 inches and the number of wet days in the same period was 183 neither of which was exceeded in any corresponding period since 1902/03. The point at which the observations were taken has an average of 15 per cent. less rain than the airport site. In the standard period for comparison, 1916/50, the average rainfall for the ten months' period January/October, as recorded at Cork University, was 32.03 inches. In the period January/ October, 1960 the rainfall recorded at Cork University was 44.5 inches, which was 39 per cent. above the standard period. A similar comparison for the four months July/October, 1960, shows that the rainfall recorded in the 1960 period was 70 per cent. in excess of the average for the same four months of the standard period. The rainfall at Cork Airport was not recorded prior to January 1960 but for the period January/October, 1960 it was 53.22 inches—20 per cent. more than the amount recorded for the same period at Cork University College.
Is the Minister aware that the Deputy's Party were opposed to this?
The Government should have put a harbour there also.