Yes, Neidin, you are of course correct. There is not enough pressure at all by Cork people on the airbridges issue. People fail to realise how strategic this matter is.
Regretably it appears Cork people are at best clueless on how the lack of airbridges will effect the outcome of the airport in the years ahead when it comes to any kind of US longhaul operation.
The sooner Mr Gantley, the Cork Airport Authority and the Dublin Airport Authority go before the Oireachtas Committe on transport the better. I hope Mr Gantley is put under pressure here and asked the right questions and that he is not out of his depth and that he can perform outstandingly for Cork Airport and not just well. The Dublin Airport authority need to dealt with very hard on this matter and Mr Gantley and Cork's new board need now to prove themselves and I am hoping they are up to it.
I am also concerned by the performance of the Cork politicians. Sure, they are organising the Transport Committee hearings and that is good but I feel they too should be leading here and making more noise putting the case about the airbridges in the public eye more often.
You know how it has been for the past six or seven years with little or no action on the proposed new Cork School of Music. It has been weak wills all around I regret to say and the irony of that is the rental costs of so many places to keep the different departments of the School of Music going in Cork would more than fund the building of the new School.
I fear we may be looking at similar situation at Cork Airport unless we get the airbridges. The story about two years, five years down the line etc - it would then never happen.
Popular talk has the over-run on the new terminal being approximately 40 million euro(!!??). However, a large engineering project is always kind of likely to overun somewhat. It is what you end up with when you have dealings with builders etc? But the marginal costs of the 3 airbridges is said to be 1.5 million euro. If this is the case all I can is - Come off the stage, Mr Gantley and Cork Airport Authority or put another 5h!t or get off the pot!