Vol. 537 No. 2
75 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the position in relation to the proposed development of air strips and air services on offshore islands; and the islands which are involved in these proposals. [15649/01]
In March of this year I appointed the consultants, Air Transport Group, Cranfield University, to carry out a comprehensive study on the proposed development and day to day management of airstrips and associated air services on a number of offshore islands. The islands concerned in the study are Inis Mór, Inis Meáin, Inis Oírr, which already have air services, and Inishbofin, County Galway, Inishturk and Clare Island, County Mayo and Tory Island, County Donegal. Work has commenced on this study and I hope to have the consultants' report before the end of July.
Independent of this study, Údarás na Gaeltachta has been requested to proceed with the planning work, including location of suitable sites and obtaining of planning permissions, for airstrips on Inishboffin, Inishturk, Clare Island and Tory Island. This work has been ongoing for some time now and much progress has been made, including the obtaining of planning permission for the construction of an airstrip on Inishboffin.
