97. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 2 October 2024, if he will provide a response to the question in relation to whether a private consortium other than that in Waterford has sought co-funding from his Department for the aviation sector (details supplied); if so, the evaluation process undertaken to establish business case approval; if not, the expertise that exists in his Department to evaluate value for money where the applicant is looking only for part of the investment required but is also obliged to completely fund the project to a conclusion and then claim any Department funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40303/24]

I wish to confirm to the Deputy that, in relation to the aviation sector, no private consortium other than that in relation to Waterford Airport has sought co-funding from my Department for capital support in excess of €1 million in the last ten years, where the private sector was contributing at a minimum 50% of the funding required. It was on that basis that no aviation projects were reported in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 79 of 2 October 2024, where you sought the names of projects approved for capital support of this nature.

In relation to evaluating funding proposals, as recently advised to the Deputy in response to a recent Parliamentary Question on Waterford Airport specifically, my Department has developed a comprehensive ‘Transport Appraisal Framework’. This Framework, which came into effect on 13 June 2023, replaced the 2016 Common Appraisal Framework for Transport. The Framework ensures that investment schemes in the transport sector comply with the Government’s ‘Infrastructure Guidelines’ (previously known as the Public Spending Code).

With regard to the Deputy’s comments on funding only being drawn down at “project conclusion”, the Deputy should note that “value for money” criteria for any capital project extends well beyond the construction phase and into the operational phase including projected activity in the succeeding years. A project completing construction is not an end in itself.

Full detail on the Transport Appraisal Framework is available as follows: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9038-transport-appraisal-framework-taf/