Our current PSO regime comprises six routes which link the regional airports in Kerry, Galway, Sligo, Knock, Donegal and Derry with Dublin.
In respect of the first five of these routes, my Department conducted a public tender competition earlier this year, in accordance with the provisions of the relevant EU Council Regulation (2408/92), for air carriers to operate the routes. This tender process resulted in the award of two routes – Donegal-Dublin and Sligo-Dublin – to EuroCeltic Airways Limited and the other three routes – Kerry-Dublin, Galway-Dublin and Knock-Dublin – to Aer Arann Express. The contracts in respect of these five PSO routes run for three years from 22 July 2002. Our sixth PSO route, Derry-Dublin, is operated by Loganair Limited under a three year contract awarded in January 2001.
Having regard to the projections for passenger numbers and the Exchequer subvention levels contained in EuroCeltic's and Aer Arann's submissions in the public tender competition earlier this year, the anticipated average Exchequer subvention per passenger over the three years of the new contracts on each of the five PSO routes operated by these two carriers is as follows: