Mr. Stiof?n ? C?l?in:

We also acknowledge all the support we got from the various representative bodies in Donegal when we were seeking to restore the service to Donegal after failing with Amapola. Getting Emerald Airlines back made a major difference to the county. We are very happy to have the Aer Lingus franchise. While we have a long way to go, we have potential to go to 60 per rotation and we are about 40% or 50% of the way there. One of our major strategic aims is to grow the numbers. We are back up to about 90% of where we were prior to the Covid pandemic. We have potential to grow again and add 40% to that. That would be one of our main strategic marketing objectives.

The other main strategic marketing objective for Donegal Airport would be to regain the Glasgow route. The Deputy will be aware of the enormous cultural connections between the two, with many people visiting friends and relatives. That route carried upwards of 10,000 people in the past. We are just beginning negotiations.

We are hopeful we will be able to start that service post Easter, maybe not daily but certainly on a monthly rotational basis per week.

We are in talks with Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland to help us to grow their footprint on both sides and to help us with marketing. We are very happy with the response there. We are in talks with Donegal tourism. Mr. Martin is the chair or one of the directors of that. We see great potential in selling the great outdoors, the unspoilt beaches and the hills Donegal has to offer. We feel that Donegal has the same potential as Kerry. It is not realised at the moment, but we feel that the potential is there and we will drive that on. There is a great Gaelic tradition, the Gaeltacht, the language, the music and the great bands, including the likes of Clannad and Altan. We feel there is great potential to grow all that, and we hope to do that.

As for the US, there are great linkages happening with the strength of the dollar. I think onward links are in excess of 20% at the moment, and a lot of golf tourism has begun to come into Donegal, with even private planes coming in to play Ballyliffin, the great links up along the coast there, so we see great potential there as well.