Islanders protest helicopter service

Residents of the Aran Islands, shocked at the loss to Aer Árann of an air service contract for the three islands, plan to fight the Government decision.

Minister of State for the Gaeltacht Joe McHugh announced midweek that Executive Helicopters, based in Woodford in Galway, was the “preferred tenderer” for a four-year air service agreement.

Under the new contract, he said, daily return flights by helicopter will be provided between the islands and Galway Airport from October to September 2019.