Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 July 2014
415. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will convene a group of interested parties including the local authority, Fáilte Éireann, Forum Connemara and Inishbofin Community Council, to examine how the airstrips near Cleggan and in Inishbofin could be used to promote aviation tourism by private plane owners and thus help the tourism industry in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32516/14]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, following a report undertaken by Cranfield University on behalf of my Department in 2001, airstrips were completed at Cleggan and on Inishbofin Island in 2007. Subsequently, a decision was taken on 10 July 2013 to dispose of the airstrips in view of the economic downturn, the ongoing cost of maintaining the airstrips and the position that my Department is unlikely, at any time in the near future, to have the resources required to subsidise a regular air service between the island and the mainland. My Department is currently examining the disposal options that are available to it, namely, to sell the airstrips or to lease them long-term. The Deputy can be assured that whichever disposal option is selected, it will be carried out by means of a public procurement process. To date, there have been some informal contacts with my Department by various interested parties regarding the disposal of the airstrips. My Department is open to representations from other interested parties in that context.
