The air service at Connemara Airport has been extended until September 2021, while Aer Arann Islands has agreed to continue providing that air service until December 20 this year.
The extension of services was agreed recently between the Department of the Gaeltacht and Galway Aviation Services Limited (trading as Aer Arann Islands ) in relation to the Aran Islands air service and Connemara Airport.
Under this arrangement, Heads of Agreement setting out a process under which negotiations can proceed with regard to the potential purchase of Connemara Airport by the Department, has been signed by both parties.
The agreements will allow both parties to conclude the above-mentioned negotiations in the months ahead. Also during this period, the Department will issue a Request for Tender for interim service, under a contract which will operate from December 21 2018 to September 30 2019. A further tender process to award a four-year contract will be undertaken while this short-term contract is in operation.
The agreements have been welcomed by the Fine Gael Galway West TD and Minister of State for the Irish language, the Gaeltacht, and the Islands, Seán Kyne. “I believe that we have now set out a pathway to ensure the future of this service,” he said. “I would like to thank my officials and the Department’s legal team for all their efforts with this process, the island communities for their contribution, patience and understanding and, finally, Aer Arann and its representatives for their efforts to secure this agreement.”
