Galway Bay fm newsroom - The department of the Gaeltacht has this tea-time issued a statement on Aer Arann's decision to end its PSO flights to the Aran Islands from December.
The points to note are that the Department is to seek public tenders again for the service, and also that Minister Joe McHugh is to meet island representatives next week about this development concerning vital infrastructure for the islands.
Here is the statement from the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in full
STATEMENT:
Galway Aviation Services Ltd (trading as Aer Árann) has announced that it will be surrendering its contract to provide air services to the Aran Islands on 6th December 2018. The Department will be putting arrangements in place to seek public tenders in relation to those services as a matter of priority.
The Minister is seeking a meeting with representatives of the three island communities next week to discuss same and to assure them of his Department’s commitment to the continuation of this service from December onwards.
The Minister has stressed that both he and the Department’s priority is to ensure continuity of transport services for island communities. He looks forward to a constructive engagement with representatives of the island communities and to progressing a new tender as a matter of urgency.
