Galway Bay fm newsroom – Around 50 Aran Islands residents will travel to Castlebar tomorrow to protest at the office of An Taoiseach over the islands’ air service.
The protest follows a series of public meetings over the controversial public service obligation contract.
Under the new contract, it’s understood that daily return flights by helicopter are to be provided between the Aran Islands and Galway Airport in Carnmore from next month until 2019.
A local campign group lead by Comharchumman Forbartha Arann Teo has raised a number of concerns including the location of the proposed departure point at Carnmore, and the use of a rotary aircraft.
Aer Arann has been operating a fixed-wing service from Na Minna airport in Inverin for the past 45 years.
Concerns have also been raised by the Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board about the future of island schools, which it says is heavily dependent on a fast and reliable air service.
A campaign group of around 50 people will travel from the Aran Islands to Castlebar tomorrow morning, where it will stage a peaceful protest outside Enda Kenny’s constituency office.