I appreciate that very much. On Friday last, 13 February, the liquidation of a Dublin air freight company, EI Air Exports, caused the suspension of the daily passenger air service between Donegal International Airport at Carrickfin and Dublin. This service was operated by Ireland Airways, a subsidiary of the aforementioned company. It was approved under a three year tender contract between the Department of Public Enterprise and the EU's essential air service programme.
Since its start up a little over a year ago, the Donegal to Dublin route has generated over 11,000 airline passengers. This is a remarkable achievement considering that both the airline and the route were new to the travel and aviation industry. Against this background the directors and staff of Donegal International Airport, Carrickfin, have — through their own tourism promotional activities and in association County Donegal Tourism, the North West Tourism Organisation and Bord Fáilte — worked hard to establish the market and get the message across to business and tourism interests.
The ease of access to County Donegal provided by the airline services opened new opportunities for investment and industrial development. The airline service between Donegal and Dublin has made a huge difference. It offered great relief to people making hospital visits for specialised treatments from the North Western Health Board area, shortening their journey time to Dublin in comfort. For the first time, local industrialists were able to invite customers and suppliers to visit Donegal-based manufacturing plants, which had for long been seen as too distant and difficult to visit. Companies thereby secured new export orders and increased employment in many Donegal and Gaeltacht companies. New investors have agreed to set up business through Údarás na Gaeltachta because of the easier access gained through using the airline services.
It is a major disappointment to lose such services, particularly at a time when traffic growth was being sustained and the viability of the service was supported under the PSO arrangements with the Department. I am aware that the PSO routes to Galway, Kerry and Sligo — which Aer Lingus operates under similar EU essential air service tenders — are due for renewal.
Why is Donegal out on a limb as Aer Lingus operates such routes from Dublin every day? Why can Donegal not receive the same service support? Kerry and Galway have three flights daily. With no railway station or proper road access, the airport at Carrickfin has made a huge contribution to the business community. The air journey to Donegal from Dublin is a little over 45 minutes, 65 minutes from London and two hours from Brussels. Given proper support, the airport will enable the county to compete nationally and internationally for more tourism growth and inward investment.
If action is not taken swiftly, opportunities for Donegal will continue to decline further. We need a speedy resolution to the problems caused by the demise of EI Air Exports. The area can and will prosper even more with the support of the national and international marketing reputation that Aer Lingus provides elsewhere in the country.
Ireland Airways, or any other option, cannot provide the necessary international focus and product distribution. The other regional airports all began such services over ten years ago. There is no reason Donegal cannot develop to at least one service daily to meet some of the regional distribution of visitor numbers and investment as demanded by Government policy. The people of Donegal deserve a favourable decision and an immediate airline replacement must be found to continue the success achieved by Ireland Airways until other more suitable and permanent arrangements are agreed.
Mar fhocal scor ba mhaith liom iarraidh ar an Aire gach dícheall a dhéanamh le seirbhís eile a chur ar fáil gan mhoill in ionad an tseirbhís atá ag dul chun críoch. Tá sé an-tábhachtach, ní hamhain do mhuintir Dhún na nGall, dosna tionsclóirí, don fhorbairt tionsclaíochta agus turasóireachta, ach dosna hothair a thagann ó Dhún na nGall go Baile Átha Cliath faoi choinne cóir leigheasa a shá isteach san otharlann ann.