This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6697549.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 5 | Version 6 |
---|---|
Inquiry into closure of airport | |
(about 13 hours later) | |
A full independent inquiry is to be held to investigate the four-day closure of City of Derry Airport. | |
The airport was shut on Friday by the Civil Aviation Authority due to a "systematic failure of safety management". | |
It was given the all-clear after a further inspection on Sunday. | |
Announcing the inquiry, Derry City Council said in a statement it regretted the closure, and safety remained "its number one priority". | |
City mayor Helen Quigley said a number of matters needed to be clarified and addressed. | |
"A rigorous review will examine the facts and, most importantly, reassure the general public about the safe future operation of our airport," she said. | |
Earlier, airport chief executive Seamus Devine apologised to travellers. | |
"It's the last thing we wanted to happen and of course we accept a large part of the responsibility," he said. | "It's the last thing we wanted to happen and of course we accept a large part of the responsibility," he said. |
This is public versus private. Derry City Council running an airport? Not on Brendan DuddyLocal businessman Throughout the weekend contractors were on site completing a number of improvements. | |
These included updating the bird management system by placing nets across culverts and ponds, repairs to the aircraft parking apron and minor drainage work carried out adjacent to the runway. | These included updating the bird management system by placing nets across culverts and ponds, repairs to the aircraft parking apron and minor drainage work carried out adjacent to the runway. |
Questions are still being asked about how problems got to such a stage that the airport had to be completely closed in the first place. | |
Londonderry businessman Brendan Duddy said the situation at the airport was "unacceptable". | |
"We in the private sector, we just don't get away with that," he said. | "We in the private sector, we just don't get away with that," he said. |
"This is public versus private. Derry City Council running an airport? Not on." | "This is public versus private. Derry City Council running an airport? Not on." |