asked the Minister for Transport and Power if his Department have any plans for internal aviation.
Written Answers. - Internal Aviation.
324.
Under the Air Navigation and Transport Acts I may grant authorisations for the operation of internal air services and over the years such authorisations have been granted to a number of operators in respect of various domestic routes. There is no application before my Department at present in respect of additional internal scheduled services.
The Deputy will probably have seen a report of the Committee on Regional Policy and Transport of the European Parliament. This report is concerned with general infrastructural policy and in so far as aviation is concerned suggests an internal network using 30 or 40 small airfields at a possible cost of £10 million. The report does not quantify the need for such a network, the extent to which it would be utilised or the prospects of economic operation. It does acknowledge, however, that "with a low density population in small centres, the economics of a fully integrated internal network of developed airfields might be questionable". This conclusion is consistent with recent experience and earlier studies.
The Aer Lingus network provides links on the routes Dublin/Cork and Dublin/Shannon. Aer Lingus inform me that they have from time to time studied the question of domestic operations. These studies have examined the problem from different angles but have indicated no prospect of commercial success. As the Deputy is no doubt aware, the Aer Arann service which is operated by a company in which Gaeltarra Éireann have an interest, provides regular links between Galway and the Aran Islands.