Waterford Regional Airport is to survive for another month at least after receiving a £35,000 lifeline yesterday from Waterford Corporation.
An emergency meeting of the airport's board, called to discuss a resolution to close the facility, ended with a decision to continue trading in the hope that additional funding can be secured from the Government. The airport's 35 direct and indirect staff, however, are to be placed on protective notice today.
Concern at the threat to the airport was expressed yesterday by IDA Ireland, the South-East Regional Authority and business leaders who said its future was vital to the economic wellbeing of the region.
Dr Cormac Macnamara, the airport's chairman, said the corporation's intervention had saved the airport from immediate closure but its long-term future still depended on Government support.
The airport says it needs £500,000 to survive this year but only £165,000 has been allocated by the Department of Public Enterprise.
The Department says it has been increasing support to the airport for the past several years but passenger numbers have continued to fall.
There were indications yesterday, however, that if the airport got over its immediate economic difficulties, it could have a bright future. Euroceltic Airways, which began a daily service to London last month, said passenger numbers had exceeded its expectations.
In a letter yesterday to Labour TD Mr Brian O'Shea, the chief executive of the IDA, Mr Sean Dorgan, said the threat to the airport's future could exacerbate the disadvantage Waterford already suffered, relative to other cities, in terms of access.
"For that reason, IDA would support any solution which would maintain the airport facility in Waterford and underpin regular scheduled services there, as well as corporate use of the facility.
"We recognise, however, the very considerable challenge for the airport company in finding such a solution in the time available."
