Vol. 338 No. 5
asked the Minister for Transport if he is aware that a contract for £2.7 million for the laying down of a tarmacadam runway at the Connaught Regional Airport was signed by the airport company in August 1982; if he consented to the signing of the contract and if he will make a statement on the matter.
21.
asked the Minister for Transport the procedure followed regarding the recently signed contract of approximately £2.7 million for the further development of Knock Airport; if he approved the signing of the contract; if he will outline the tendering procedure adopted and the budgeting implications of this contract; the date on which it was proposed to sign the contract came to his notice; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 21 together.
I am aware that a contract for the second stage of the Connaught Regional Airport was signed by the Connaught Airport Development Co. Ltd. on 27 August 1982. This contract is in respect of the construction of the runway, taxiway and apron together with associated works. Normal tendering procedures were followed in relation to the contract.
Advertisements in respect of the contract were placed by the company in the four national daily newspapers on 26 April 1982 inviting interested contractors, who could show proven capacity to execute the work, to apply for pre-qualifying documentation. Tender documents were issued to those firms who, in the opinion of the company's consultating engineers, had demonstrated that they had the capacity to do the work. On 9 August 1982, the board of the company, having examined the tenders, decided to accept the lowest tender and sought my approval to the placing of the contract. On 12 August 1982 I approved the placing of the contract.
A sum of £2.7 million has been allocated for the Connaught Regional Airport in the 1983 Estimates and this will cover expenditure by the company on the contract in question.
22.
asked the Minister for Transport the amount of public money spent on the development of Knock Airport, County Mayo; and the reason for the expenditure to date.
To date over £5.8 million has been spent on the development of Connaught Regional Airport. The bulk of this money has been in respect of general site clearing, filling and compaction to the formation level of the runway. The balance of the expenditure was mainly in respect of the purchase of the site and the provision of access roads and drainage works.
23.
asked the Minister for Transport when the Connacht Regional Airport will be operational.
It is expected that the Connaught Regional Airport will be operational in 1984.
24.
asked the Minister for Transport the projected current revenue and expenditure for the next five years in regard to the operation of the Connaught Regional Airport; whether the Government have decided in principle to subsidise the operating costs of this airport and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The levels of current revenue and expenditure for Connaught Regional Airport will depend on the scale of operations. As the airport will not be operational until 1984 at the earliest it is not possible to say now what the scale of operations will be. I am not in a position to furnish the Deputy at this stage with estimates. It is at present envisaged that operational and financial responsibility for the airport will rest with local interests.
