asked the Minister for Finance if the Government think it is appropriate to revive the Connacht Regional Airport as part of an integrated plan for the western region; thus availing of EC funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Connacht Regional Airport.
49.
An application for assistance from the European Regional Development Fund for Connacht Regional Airport was submitted to the Commission of the European Communities on 30 July 1982. Additional information was requested by the Commission services on one occasion only, on 19 August 1982, and this was supplied by my Department on 3 September 1982.
In response to subsequent inquiries from my Department as to the status of the application, the Commission services set out on 26 September 1983 the difficulties which they had with the application. Apart from the fact that the airport did not fall within the framework of Ireland's regional development programme, they pointed out that a feasibility study carried out by international consultants had apparently rejected the case for an international airport and that the estimated traffic would not appear to justify the project.
I should point out that, notwithstanding the fact that the Commission did not approve our application in respect of Connacht Regional Airport, we were able to take up all the aid available to Ireland from the European Regional Development Fund in 1982 and in subsequent years. Thus, the impression being created in certain quarters that there is extra money available in respect of this project if only the Irish Government would press for it is quite inaccurate.