Varadkar blocked funding for Western Projects

Storm 10

Varadkar blocked the expansion of Galway and Sligo Airports then on the same week granted 400k to Waterford Airport despite not having any scheduled flights there, Fine Gael are no good for the West they have not included anything in their future development plan for the expansion of Galway Harbour as well.

https://galwaybayfm.ie/varadkar-blocked-eu-funding-galway-airport-western-rail-corridor/

what_traffic

Storm 10 wrote: »

Varadkar blocked the expansion of Galway and Sligo Airports then on the same week granted 400k to Waterford Airport despite not having any scheduled flights there, Fine Gael are no good for the West they have not included anything in their future development plan for the expansion of Galway Harbour as well.

https://galwaybayfm.ie/varadkar-blocked-eu-funding-galway-airport-western-rail-corridor/

Not a fan of Leo's or FG but Galway Airport was not even operational for commercial flights either by the Galway Chamber of Commerce (and other Airport owners) back in 2011 either before City and County Council purchased it? Once M6 was opened in 2009 it was finished as a viable operation.

Galway Harbour Redevelopment project was always doomed. It was always going to be a Tier 3 port given its location in City Centre with very poor HGV road accessibility + have a Tier 1 port in Foynes only down the road now since M18 motorway opened.

Sean Canney wants WRC opened from Athenry to Sligo. Think he has got another feasability study for it in the works.

Storm 10

what_traffic wrote: »

Not a fan of Leo's or FG but Galway Airport was not even operational for commercial flights either by the Galway Chamber of Commerce (and other Airport owners) back in 2011 either before City and County Council purchased it? Once M6 was opened in 2009 it was finished as a viable operation.

Galway Harbour Redevelopment project was always doomed. It was always going to be a Tier 3 port given its location in City Centre with very poor HGV road accessibility + have a Tier 1 port in Foynes only down the road now since M18 motorway opened.

Sean Canney wants WRC opened from Athenry to Sligo. Think he has got another feasability study for it in the works.

Like I posted Waterford was not operational for commercial flights as well ,they also have a Motorway the M9, I don't know why we keep knocking Galway for Air and shipping its support we need not look at what's down the road either way the whole thing stinks.

flazio

If there was a flight to Dublin, by the time you check in, check in your luggage, board, take off, fly, land, Park, reclaim your luggage and exit, the same car that dropped you off in Galway could be waiting for you in Dublin.
How is that a viable option?

what_traffic

Storm 10 wrote: »

Like I posted Waterford was not operational for commercial flights as well ,they also have a Motorway the M9, I don't know why we keep knocking Galway for Air and shipping its support we need not look at what's down the road either way the whole thing stinks.

Ain't knocking - used to fly 3/4 times a year from Old Galway Airport. Used Manchester flight a lot over the years.
If the country is going to build massively expensive motorways up and down the county there is going to be knock on effects.

Leo is feeling the heat today in Galway City
http://connachttribune.ie/leo-feels-the-heat-over-hospital-121/

Given the Athenry to Ennis section has one of the highest subventions of any route in the whole country, and will be in the scope of future line closures, building a line further north to an even less populated area would have been ludicrous. Bring on the greenway I say

ben.schlomo

He/they were right not to fund either. Non story.

shenanagans

Of course he gave the money to Waterford rather than the West. Half his family are from Waterford, his mother is a Waterford woman. All politicians are the same they look after their own area.

irishgrover

I feel pretty much the same now as I did 9 months ago in this very similar tread.


EDIT: Actually that is not fully true - I would actually specifically not vote for anyone who actively encouraged invested tax payer money in Galway airport in an effort to make it a commercial airport

Harry Palmr

shenanagans wrote: »

Of course he gave the money to Waterford rather than the West. Half his family are from Waterford, his mother is a Waterford woman. All politicians are the same they look after their own area.

If that's true I wish he'd look after us in the Deise a bit more! See jobs, cardiac care, university, port, power/water infrastructure, etc.

fergiesfolly

Can anyone come up with a reason to invest in Galway Airport when Shannon is 40-50 minutes down the road?
As for the WRC... anyone who thinks that's a viable concern, shouldn't be let within an asses roar of public money.
I'd much rather see investment in infrastructure within the city( Park n Ride, bus lanes, bike lanes) and the completion of the outer city ring road than in some novelty projects.

dok_golf

Deleted User wrote: »

Given the Athenry to Ennis section has one of the highest subventions of any route in the whole country, and will be in the scope of future line closures, building a line further north to an even less populated area would have been ludicrous. Bring on the greenway I say

As Colm Mc carthy said, "when people see money being wasted in other parts of the country, they want to see money wasted in their's as well". That existing WRC is be bailed out by the taxpayer to the tune of 85 euro for every fare paying passenger on it. McCarthy also said " we would be better off paying for the taxis to transport passengers to and fro".

dok_golf

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Can anyone come up with a reason to invest in Galway Airport when Shannon is 40-50 minutes down the road?
As for the WRC... anyone who thinks that's a viable concern, shouldn't be let within an asses roar of public money.
I'd much rather see investment in infrastructure within the city( Park n Ride, bus lanes, bike lanes) and the completion of the outer city ring road than in some novelty projects.

Well said. Agree completely.

Ludikrus

Leo was right.

shenanagans

fergiesfolly wrote: »

Can anyone come up with a reason to invest in Galway Airport when Shannon is 40-50 minutes down the road?
As for the WRC... anyone who thinks that's a viable concern, shouldn't be let within an asses roar of public money.
I'd much rather see investment in infrastructure within the city( Park n Ride, bus lanes, bike lanes) and the completion of the outer city ring road than in some novelty projects.

Why invest in Waterford airport when cork airport is so nearby?? I agree that the money shouldn't be given to Galway but why give funding to Waterford????

fergiesfolly

shenanagans wrote: »

Why invest in Waterford airport when cork airport is so nearby?? I agree that the money shouldn't be given to Galway but why give funding to Waterford????

I have absolutely no idea.
Political hijinks most likely.
It seems to be the way of Irish infrastructural investment.

And I don't care to waste time moaning over it. It's a pointless exercise.
Millions have been poured into questionable projects all over this country over the history of the state, with the sole purpose of garnering votes. And that won't change, as long as we keep voting in the gombeen men we do now.
All we can do is ensure our share of the pot is spent wisely throughout the city and county.

ChunkyLover54

Storm 10 wrote: »

Fine Gael are no good for the West

Don't blame me - I voted for Kodos.

shenanagans

shenanagans wrote: »

Why invest in Waterford airport when cork airport is so nearby?? I agree that the money shouldn't be given to Galway but why give funding to Waterford????

Waterford isn't all that close to Cork airport. Google suggests it is a one hour fifty minute drive from Waterford to either Cork or Dublin airport.

It suggests it is one hour six minutes from Galway to Shannon airport or one hour sixteen to Knock.

Storm 10

Storm 10 wrote: »

Varadkar blocked the expansion of Galway and Sligo Airports then on the same week granted 400k to Waterford Airport despite not having any scheduled flights there, Fine Gael are no good for the West they have not included anything in their future development plan for the expansion of Galway Harbour as well.

https://galwaybayfm.ie/varadkar-blocked-eu-funding-galway-airport-western-rail-corridor/

Sean Canney the TD who was talking about it must sense an election coming up. He has nothing to show for his support of the government and there is no sign of the report he wanted on the western rail corridor - presumably because it reccomends against it.

With nothing to show he needs someone to blame and a Taoiseach who was minister for transport (when the IMF were in the country) is an ideal candidate.

This isn't exactly new news. His position was known in 2011. It is just being regurgitated by an independent TD to do a Healy-Rea on it and argue that the Taoiseach/FG doesn't care about us and so you should vote for a local candidate who does.

ted1

shenanagans wrote: »

Why invest in Waterford airport when cork airport is so nearby?? I agree that the money shouldn't be given to Galway but why give funding to Waterford????

isn't the coastguard based there, what is the funding assigned to? is Galway airport state owned or privately owned? I believe Waterford is state owned

Fann Linn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Sean Canney the TD who was talking about it must sense an election coming up. He has nothing to show for his support of the government and there is no sign of the report he wanted on the western rail corridor - presumably because it reccomends against it.

With nothing to show he needs someone to blame and a Taoiseach who was minister for transport (when the IMF were in the country) is an ideal candidate.

This isn't exactly new news. His position was known in 2011. It is just being regurgitated by an independent TD to do a Healy-Rea on it and argue that the Taoiseach/FG doesn't care about us and so you should vote for a local candidate who does.

Heard Canney this morning. He said he'll stand by the independent cost benefit analysis. I await its publishing with anticipation.

Nettle Soup

what_traffic wrote: »

Sean Canney wants WRC opened from Athenry to Sligo. Think he has got another feasability study for it in the works.

Idiotic idea and he knows it. He is just being stubborn now.

Storm 10

ted1 wrote: »

isn't the coastguard based there, what is the funding assigned to? is Galway airport state owned or privately owned? I believe Waterford is state owned

Waterford Airport is owned by the City Council and the private sector, there is no state owned small Airport in Ireland, at least Waterford City Council had the foresight to keep it operational despite having no scheduled flights, they now cater for the private sector which is what Galway was doing until the Councils pulled the plug, they have not got a clue what to do with it, it should still be operational for the private flyer and the various foreign companies here who used to fly in with their Company Aircraft, also as a refuelling location for the Air Corps and the Coastguard Helicopters.

No matter which way you look at it the final nail in the coffin was put in by Leo.

TerrorFirmer

The response from Leo's Department - Government couldn't afford to invest huge sums of money into the projects.

https://galwaybayfm.ie/government-defends-taoiseachs-role-blocking-eu-funding-galway-transport-projects/

Galway Bay fm newsroom – The Government has issued a response to claims that the Taoiseach blocked EU funding for Galway Airport and the Western Rail Corridor.

It’s after new documents reveal an application for EU funding for transport projects in the west and northwest was dropped during his tenure as Transport Minister.

The Department of the Taoiseach claims the projects were excluded because the country could not afford them.

Projects such as the western rail corridor and the upgrading of Galway and Sligo airports were deleted from an EU-wide transport programme in 2011.

Newly disclosed documents reveal the decision was made following an intervention from then Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.

The Department of the Taoiseach has this evening released a press statement addressing today’s revelations.

It says the inclusion of capital projects on the EU’s Ten-T transport programme had little bearing on the funding for such projects.

It adds the vast majority of the funding required for the projects in question would still have had to come from the state coffers.

A spokesperson says the country simply did not have the resources at that stage to commit to that level of investment, given it had just emerged from the worst economic crash in its history.

The statement also points out that despite extreme economic conditions at that time, the Gort to Tuam motorway – the largest ever infrastructure project in the west – was initated under the watch of then Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.

Storm 10

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

The response from Leo's Department - Government couldn't afford to invest huge sums of money into the projects.

https://galwaybayfm.ie/government-defends-taoiseachs-role-blocking-eu-funding-galway-transport-projects/

But the big thing here is he was able to give 400k to Waterford Airport

Storm 10

Storm 10 wrote: »

But the big thing here is he was able to give 400k to Waterford Airport

Even Micheal Martin agrees about this

https://galwaybayfm.ie/micheal-martin-says-previous-governments-cavalier-attitude-west/

Storm 10

Storm 10 wrote: »

Even Micheal Martin agrees about this

https://galwaybayfm.ie/micheal-martin-says-previous-governments-cavalier-attitude-west/

Did you think the leader of the opposition would let an opportunity to get a dig in at the government pass?

Sean Canney has done well out of this - enough time has passed that we forget things like the airport numbers were collapsing, the motorway adjacent to it was already open, that the country was broke, the unemployment rate was 14% - but yet the headlines are about Varadkar kicking the west when it was down.

Zzippy

The people living near the Athenry-Sligo rail line would get far more benefit from a greenway than a white elephant rail service. There is literally no business, social or other reason to reopen that line for rail traffic that makes economic sense.

Laviski

Zzippy wrote: »

The people living near the Athenry-Sligo rail line would get far more benefit from a greenway than a white elephant rail service. There is literally no business, social or other reason to reopen that line for rail traffic that makes economic sense.

with that mindset most bus routes should be wiped out as they are not profitable on their own including city service routes. why should those routes be maintained at the taxpayers expense? in fact why not privatize the whole public transport and will be interesting to see what would be left running.

ennis to athenry was set up to fail from the start, that is why the figures only now have surpassed the targets set for that line because they changed some of the timetable to able to cater for when the demand exist. however i can tell you the timetable is still crap. Look at the time tables and you will see, prime times are when people heading to work or do day shopping and coming back. Very little flexibility.

Laviski

Laviski wrote: »

the figures only now have surpassed the targets set for that line .

The original estimates were for 300,000 by year 5, it's barely at 50,000 (year 1 estimates) and that's only due to the free parking and absurdly low fares (see: massive subvention)

The Western rail corridor is dead as a concept and its only a matter of when, not if, phase 1 closes

sdanseo

Vanity projects anyway. Good move to stamp them out.

As few as 100 people a day use the WRC. On average, it's less than 280 a day.
By contrast more than 110,000 use the Luas

Galway airport is a little over 90mins by express to the largest airport on the island and now only 50mins to Shannon. Any proposition to expand it is genuinely laughable at this stage. Utter populism (being Ireland, unfortunately, that's often enough to get things moving, no matter how ridiculous).