asked the Minister for Communications his proposals for the acquisition of land and the development of an airport at Letterkenny, County Donegal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Letterkenny (Donegal) Airport Proposals.
15.
The Government have reviewed the proposal to provide a regional airport at Letterkenny, County Donegal. On the basis of the review and in the light of the difficult economic situation, the Government are unable to justify expenditure of Exchequer funds on the project. Accordingly, the Government have decided to withdraw the commitment to provide an airport at Letterkenny.
Donegal County Council have been requested to approach the owners of the lands which were to have been acquired for the proposed airport with a view to seeking their formal agreement to release the lands from the acquisition procedures including the withdrawal of their compensation claims.
Is it the position that the Minister is washing his hands of any responsibility with regard to the purchase of the lands and does he know if the owners of the land will hold Donegal County Council to the sale?
I have had no formal indication that the owners of the land will not consent to the withdrawal of the sale but that is a matter that would have to be dealt with if and when it arose. Regarding the first part of the question, everyone knows we are in a very serious financial situation. The Government have had to take some very difficult decisions in relation to a number of matters and this was one of them. We could not justify proceeding with the project.
Is the Minister aware that the people in Donegal consider themselves totally cut off and have a grievance in respect of transport to that part of the country? Will they not regard the Minister's backing off from a modest investment in an airport as another example of neglect by Dublin Governments of the Donegal region? I lived in Donegal for eight years and I know what the people there think.
I have not lived in Donegal but I have campaigned there in the run up to a number of by-elections. I appreciate what the Deputy is saying. North Donegal especially is rather isolated from the rest of the country but we must bear in mind that there is an airport not far away, in Derry, that a subsidised air service was provided in Donegal for some time but that the demand was not very great. There were other airports built in different areas of the country at a time when it was fashionable to do so but none of these is being utilised to any extent.
That will come.