The Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan, has said a €130 million investment in Cork Airport will go ahead irrespective of whether the airport remains under the control of Aer Rianta or not.
Speaking during a visit to the airport, Mr Brennan said he would announce within weeks whether Cork would be managed by a new independent State company or whether it would stay under Aer Rianta's control.
A development plan for Cork Airport was launched in September 1999 but the Board of Aer Rianta has yet to decide whether it will proceed with construction of the new terminal if Cork Airport is removed its control.
Responding to questions about whether it was fair to expect Aer Rianta to invest €130 million in Cork if the airport was going to be removed from the company's control, Mr Brennan said it was not a question of what was good for Aer Rianta but what was good for Cork.
Mr Brennan insisted that Cork Airport needed the terminal extension.
The current terminal was designed to cater for 1.1 million passengers per year and currently has a throughput of 1.9 million people every year.The planned extension will increase its capacity to three million people per year.
Mr Brennan also announced that the Cork to Cobh and Cork to Mallow commuter rail services are to get four new diesel rail cars from a consignment of 10 which will arrive next month.
Bus Eireann will also receive 10 new buses for Cork City before the end of the year.
