asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the current amounts, if any, due to his Department in respect of specific services provided for Knock Airport; the extent to which these moneys will be recovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Knock Airport Expenditure.
5.
The amount due to my Department by Connaught Regional Airport for the provision of air traffic control services at the airport, inclusive of interest accruing on arrears, stood at £162,836.08 on 31 December 1987. In addition, a sum of £29,567.25 is owed in respect of the cost of flight checking the instrument landing system and the non-directional beacon at the airport. My Department are continuing to press for full recoupment of these costs.
With £200,000 in operational expenditure now due to his Department can the Minister indicate if, in any way the company are in a position to pay this money? The moneys have been outstanding for the past 12 months but no payments are being made to his Department. The chairman of the company said that they will have a substantial operational profit in the first few months of 1988 but no moneys have yet been paid. Is there any likelihood of getting the money?
A I stated in my reply, we in the Department of Tourism and Transport are pressing for the payments.
May I ask the Minister, and he should know, have the company any liquid cash to pay for State services which are being pumped into that area, navigational services and safety checking instrument services? The Department are not being paid for the services. Can the Minister say if there is any prospect of getting the money?
I think so.
Can the Minister explain why no moneys at all have been paid in the past six months despite repeated requests by his Department?
I am afraid this matter is leading to repetition and argument.
The Deputy seems to pursue the Connaught Regional Airport all the time. I am sure he will agree with me that it is an amenity that the west of Ireland need and we provide the services for them.
You have never been paid for them.
The Deputy was a Minister in Government when some of these expenses were incurred and I am sure he was acting as Savonarola at that time too. I am pursuing the regional airport authority for the money.
Deputy Austin Deasy.
May I ask a final supplementary?
Yes.
May I ask the Minister if it was the Government's decision that these services would be provided and the company would pay in cash for the services on a monthly basis and that since the services have been provided the company have not paid?
The Deputy has made a statement. He has not asked a supplementary question.
The airports in Dublin, Cork and Limerick pay for the services but apparently this company do not.
The Deputy is continuing to make a speech. I have called Deputy Deasy and if he is not going to offer I will move on to another question.
I am always willing, a Cheann Comhairle. Can the Minister tell us in respect of what period of time these charges are due?
That is an interesting question. Since the day of the official opening by the Taoiseach.
I do not have that information with me but I will let the Deputy have it.
Have these charges ever been paid?
No, I do not think so.
May I ask the Minister to outline to the House what steps he and his Department are taking to recover these moneys and can he inform the House when the last request for payment of these moneys was sent to the company?
The terms of my reply are quite clear. My Department are continuing to press Connaught Regional Airport for full recoupment of these costs.
He has not a hope in hell of getting paid.
I am optimistic.
So is your Taoiseach.
Perhaps another way of getting at the question which Deputy Deasy and Deputy Spring asked is: Can the Minister indicate the average cost per month for the services provided at the airport?
The Deputy is injecting new matter. That seems to be a separate matter.
The only information I have is as of 31 December, which would include everything that came before that.
Has the Minister got a monthly figure?
No.