A planning application for an £86 million (€109.2 million) development at Cork Airport will be submitted this week despite concerns raised by the aviation regulator's report, according to the manager of Aer Rianta Cork, Mr Joe O'Connor.
"Traffic volumes have tripled over the last 10 years. We catered for about 1.7 million passengers last year at a terminal which was only built for 1.1 million a year," he said. "We will be submitting planning permission this week for a new terminal building."
The new airport terminal will cater for three million passengers in the short term and up to five million by 2011. Work on a multi-storey car park will be underway as of next month. New cargo facilities are also set to be developed over the next few years.
"Cork Airport is one of the fastest growing airports in Europe," he said. "It is essential for us to continue our expansion.
Meanwhile, the president of the Cork Business Association, Mr James O'Sullivan, said that every effort has to be made to oppose any attempt to downgrade Cork Airport.
He said that the development of Cork Airport was fast becoming an election issue in Cork city.
"As far as we are concerned Dublin and Shannon have been developed and it is important that we pull out all the stops here. The business community is sick of being treated with contempt in relation to this issue."
Cork South Central Fine Gael deputy, Ms Deirdre Clune, said that it is time for Cork Airport to be radically developed after spending so long in the shadow of other airports.
"Cork Airport is a key element of the infrastructure of the Southern Region and is vital for its future development. This is a terminal which was built for 1 millions passengers. The number of passengers in 2000 was 1.7 million and is projected to rise to 2.5 million in 2005.
Meanwhile, Cork North Central Fine Gael deputy Mr Bernard Allen said that the local business community reacted strongly to the proposed charges because of a general feeling of unease as to how the airport is treated and viewed nationally.
