KENNY TAKES HEAVY FLAK
OVER AIRPORT INVESTMENT PLAN
OVER AIRPORT INVESTMENT PLAN
7 May 1997
Minister says U.S. company is "optimistic"
about potential of Knock
By TOM SHIEL
Despite a barrage of criticism and scepticism, Tourism and Trade Minister, Enda Kenny TD was sticking firmly last night (Tuesday) to his claim that major developments with a potential to create huge numbers of jobs are possible for Knock Airport.
Mr. Kenny dismissed as "political opportunism" statements by Fianna Fail that his announcement had been "exaggerated beyond belief" and said he had every confidence that following tax designation for Knock, U.S. firm Alliance International would move forward to create substantial jobs here.
The project, the Minister repeated, had the capacity to transform the face of the west of Ireland, economically, physically and socially.
BITTER AND SUSTAINED
With the General Election in the offing, the attacks on Minister Kenny, following an article in the Sunday Business Post which cast doubts on the announcement that Alliance plans to make Knock a bridghead into Europe with the creation of a minimum 2,000 jobs, have been bitter and sustained.
Fianna Fail spokesman on Transport, Seamus Brennan TD said: "The Minister is obviously so politically desperate that he is willing to announce gross errors about his plans for Knock Airport.
"Four major holes have emerged in Minister Kenny's claims and his statement of last week is now just a sham. Minister Kenny exaggerated his announcement byeond belief and must now be asked by the Taoiseach to clarify the true position and to retract the falsehoods he has announced".
CAST DOUBTS
Mayo Fianna Fail candidate Beverley Cooper Flynn also cast doubts on the announcement and asked if Alliance International has a concrete proposal in place for setting up business at Knock, why has this proposal not been submitted to the IDA? Ms Cooper Flynn said she also wanted to know what exactly was contained in the letter on Alliance headed paper which had been sent to the Minister for Tourism,
And she added: "Does this Government think it appropriate to announce potential jobs for Mayo without a concrete proposal being in place?" Speaking last night to the Connaught Telegraph, Mr. Kenny said the fundamental good story was that Knock and other airports had received special tax designation in order to stimulate investment and create jobs.
Last August/September , the Minister explained, he visited Alliance International in Texas with the County Manager; the Chairman of Knock Airport Board; Cathal Duffy and Board member, Msgr Dominick Grealy. Since then, the President of Alliance, Mr. Harry McKillop had been to Ireland on at least eight occasions and had used an office at Tucker Street, Castlebar.
OPTIMISM AND ENTHUSIASM
Mr. Kenny said Alliance had expressed optimism and enthusiasm about the potential which exists at Knock. The company had told him designation was critical for their plans. The master plan it was preparing for Knock took into account among other things the location of the airport and the potential workforce available in the area.
The Minister added: "By their own words, not mine, they say that designation and the development of a viable plan from their perspective would bring about thousands of jobs for the west of Ireland and they say that 2,000 is a conservative estimate.".
Mr. Kenny said he had been accused of announcing 2,000 jobs for Knock Airport but he had made no such announcement . "This is a matter for the company themselves. In so far as my role is concerned I have delivered designation from Government. With that in the bag as it were, it is a matter now for Alliance to develop their plans and tell us how they intend to provide these thousands of jobs".
