asked the Minister for Communications when work will commence on the proposed new main runway at Dublin Airport.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Airport New Main Runway.
21.
The construction of a new runway and its associated works at Dublin Airport will be the largest State airport project to be undertaken for some time. Consideration of the various aspects of the project is at an advanced stage and I hope to secure formal Government approval for the necessary level of investment in the near future. Further consultation with Dublin County Council under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963, will then be required so I am not in a position to indicate when construction work on the project will commence.
Would the Minister indicate to the House whether the £4.1 million at H.2 in his Department's Estimate for 1985 is meant to cover at least in part the cost of that runway and whether anything at all has been spent out of that allocation?
No money has been spent out of that allocation. I hope that the necessary decision making process and the consultation process with the county council will be concluded speedily and that work can commence within a few months from now.
Would the Minister not agree that we are now in the prime construction period of the year and that normally August is a holiday month for construction companies? Does he not agree now that that provision of money is a charade seeing that so much time has been allowed to elapse before work has commenced on this runway for which Aer Lingus are crying out?
There is no charade. It was this Government who decided last October to agree in principle to this major project. A great deal of preparation and consultation must take place, and I do not think the Deputy's colleague, Deputy Raphael Burke who is TD for that constituency, would thank us for rushing through proposals without adequate consultation with local residents and the local council.
I do not care whether he would or not. My purpose in life is not to please Deputy Burke.