Islanders battle to keep Aran air service

Axing the air service to the Aran Islands will threaten jobs and businesses and force people to leave, locals warned yesterday.

At a press briefing in Dublin yesterday, residents from the three islands expressed their fears for the depopulation of the islands amid speculation that the public service obligation funding to maintain its air service is to be withdrawn once the current contract ends in August next year.

Provided by the Department of Arts, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, the funding amounts to just under €2m a year and provides for three daily return flights by Aer Arann to Inis Mór and two daily return flights to Inis Meáin and to Inis Oírr on weekdays, with four return flights on weekends.