€10m in funding towards the cost of rebuilding the runway at Cork airport has been approved by the Government.
Over 250 jobs are to be created during the project in construction and the supply chain.
The contract for the development has been awarded to international transport infrastructure specialists, Colas Limited.
The rebuilding of the runway is part of an investment of more than €40m being injected into the airport's critical infrastructure between 2020 and 2022.
However, the project will force the closure of the airport for 10 weeks beginning on September 13.
Work will then be carried out on a 24/7 basis with the project due to be completed in time for the busy Christmas travel period.
"The construction programme includes a reconstruction of the main runway and the replacement of the airfield electrical systems, ducts and pits," said Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director at Cork Airport.
"These are all between 20 and 30 years old and the resulting electrical upgrade will reduce our runway electrical carbon footprint by 70%."
"These works are necessary to ensure that the main runway at Cork Airport continues to meet and exceed strict national and international regulations governing the operation and specification of runways at major airports and position us well for the future."
The balance of the funding is to come from Cork airport's parent, daa.
Pre-Covid the runway handled 22,000 commercial aircraft movements each year, as well as thousands of smaller aircraft.
Cork Airport had 2.6 million passengers in 2019, up 8% on the previous year and served 57 scheduled routes with 9 airlines.
Currently the airport serves 15 routes at a reduced frequency.
The project will involve 3,000 truckloads of asphalt, 500 maintenance hole pits, 140 kilometres of electrical cable and 60 kilometres of cable duct and drains.
