Vol. 536 No. 1
7 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the plans the Government has to develop Gormanston airfield, County Meath as a commercial airport or for flight training purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13216/01]
I have had the hope for a considerable time that a flying training facility for commercial pilots would be established in Ireland given our reliance on commercial aviation. My Department, together with the Department of Defence and the Irish Aviation Authority, investigated the possibility of encouraging private sector interests to establish a school for training commercial pilots at Gormanston.
In 1999, a media advertisement invited proposals from parties interested in promoting and operating a flying training centre at Gormanston military aerodrome on a commercial basis. A number of expressions of interest were received from the private sector and these were examined. The general conclusion was that there would be considerable financial risk attached to the operation of a training centre for commercial pilots as a stand-alone activity without support from a wider range of flying activities.
My Department was recently in contact with the parties which had expressed interest in response to the 1999 advertisement and it is clear that nothing has happened in the intervening period to alter the earlier conclusion. The underlying economic circumstances have changed very markedly with the Minister for Defence's recent announcement that the Air Corps has concluded that Gormanston aerodrome is no longer required for military flying. It will be offered for sale and the proceeds will make a major contribution towards financing the Defence Forces investment programme.
Naturally, I would be pleased to see private interests bidding for the Gormanston facilities with a view to continuing flying activities there. My understanding, however, is that as the Gormanston land is likely to be worth considerably more for non-aviation purposes, this may not be a realistic prospect. Clearly, the situation now needs to be reassessed very carefully in the light of the sale of Gormanston and I will be consulting further with the Minister for Defence on the matter.
(Mayo): Does the Minister of State accept that it is short sighted to put this property on the market? The site will fetch a lot of money by virtue of its location and potential. However, does the Minister of State accept that this is a national asset? There are 270 acres of prime land on which there is an aerodrome with a runway and, albeit, modest terminal buildings, the site is served by the N1 and has an adjacent railway line. Surely the obvious course of action is to develop the site as a commercial airport and, at the same time, use it as a flying training facility. That was the Minister of State's original intention. We could combine its functions by way of providing a service, the decongestion of Dublin Airport and the long-term market potential of the location. This is an obvious location for an airport which could develop from a regional airport into a substantial international airport.
The Deputy's question would be more productively put to the Minister for Defence. However, on a personal basis, I find it difficult to disagree with the Deputy's sentiments. I have long aspired to seeing this country and the Government proceeding with a flying training school. In July 1999, in conjunction with the Minister for Defence, we placed a notice in the national newspapers exhorting the private sector to become involved. However, things have changed dramatically and we will discuss this issue further with the Department of Defence. I would not like to see the door closed on the prospect of providing such a facility.
Does the Minister of State accept that the door will be closed if the site is sold and that there would be no possibility of future development? This issue was examined when I was Minister of State at the Department and we were conscious at that time of the use of Backweston aerodrome which is now full of light and small commercial aircraft. Has the Minister of State considered the need to change legislation if this site is to be sold? We held a long debate about giving the Irish Aviation Authority control over Baldonnel aerodrome.
The Minister of State should not sell the site, at least not yet. However, if the site is for sale, will the Government seek to have the land rezoned for housing before it is sold? This happened with regard to the sale of the barracks in Naas. Will the same procedure be followed in this case so that we will have 270 acres of new housing land?
The Deputy is correct regarding legislation. Two years ago when we were seriously addressing this matter, as we thought, we envisaged a change in the legislation to accommodate that to which we then aspired. There has been a sea-change in the recent announcement by the Minister for Defence and we will raise this issue again with him to endeavour to re-evaluate the situation.
