The Government has been accused of "failing the west once again" over funding for Galway airport.
The management says its plans for direct flights to Britain and Europe next year have been placed in jeopardy by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, who has stalled on approving supporting finance to upgrade the airport's runway and navigational facilities. This will have "serious consequences for the economic prosperity of Galway", according to Galway Chamber of Commerce which runs the airport at Carnmore.
The Minister has totally rejected the claims.
The airport was allocated just under €4 million by the Government in 1997 for its upgrade, to accommodate regional jets. Construction costs have risen in the meantime, and the project now needs an extra three million euro, the chamber says.
The airport sought additional funding under the National Development Plan's airports measure.
"The Minister's department officials had never indicated any opposition to the application over many years of submissions and meetings with them in both Dublin and Galway," Mr Jarlath Feeney, the general manager, said.
Just under 14 million euro was allocated at 1999 prices to support upgrading and improvements at the six regional airports, and of this just over 10 million euro was allocated for the four airports in the Border, Midland and Western (BMW) region - Galway, Knock, Co Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.
The development of Galway was delayed for several years because of objections to planning and initiation of Compulsory Purchase Orders to acquire more land.
An Bord Pleanála upheld the planning application, and construction was due to begin this October.
'We are in negotiations with a number of airlines to establish services to London and other British destinations," Mr Feeney said. "Airlines are currently making decisions regarding their 2003 schedules, yet Galway Airport cannot make any commitments to them because of the uncertainty. "
Mr Feeney stressed that the project was vital to both tourism and business interests in Galway, with direct access being seen as crucial to job creation and inward investment in the region. "We are now calling on Galway's Cabinet ministers, Government partners, and all election candidates to place this issue at the top of the election agenda and bring about an immediate overturning of this decision before it is too late."
A spokesman for Ms O'Rourke said departmental officials were examining the application for additional funding.