I have raised with the Taoiseach dozens of times the need to fund the runway extension at Waterford Airport. Every time I raise it, he says he is supportive and that it is in the programme for Government but there is deep frustration in Waterford as we watch on and see funding given to Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Kerry and Donegal airports, while Waterford is left behind.

Last June I was told in a parliamentary question response by the Minister for Transport that all the information needed was with the Department and Minister. We now hear a new business case is being sought, which brings us back to square one and delays an announcement for years. I cannot overstate the disbelief and frustration in Waterford. What is going on and why is the Government not delivering on its promise to give Waterford a fighting chance to have commercial activity in Waterford Airport?

The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, met with the Minister yesterday on this topic.

Last Wednesday.

Last Wednesday, sorry. Business cases are important and all projects have to go through the gateway process in terms of the Department of public expenditure. As the Deputy knows, on another day in here - his own party is fairly adept at it - expenditures that are just approved without going through those gateways-----

It has been six years.

It is not 60 years.

Six years.

If the project had not gone through those gateways, the Deputy would be the first to attack it in terms of expenditure.

It was signed off on in 2019.

It is going through a process. Hopefully, we will get it to come out the other end.

Six years later, here we are. It is not good enough.