Vol. 487 No. 6
59 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the steps, if any, she will take to enable Baldonnel air strip to be used for commercial air traffic and thereby alleviate road traffic problems in the greater Dublin area and facilitate people travelling by air from west and south Dublin and the adjoining counties. [4779/98]
The question of developing Baldonnel as a second commercial airport for Dublin was thoroughly investigated under the previous Government. On 24 January 1996, the then Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications announced that, having consulted with his Cabinet colleagues, he had reached the conclusion that the project would not be in the interests of the aviation sector and the economy generally.
The Minister's public statement on that date was extensive and a copy is available in the Oireachtas Library for the convenience of Deputies.
I consider that the reasons underlying the 1996 decision are still valid and, accordingly, I do not propose to re-examine the proposal.
