Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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Question 668: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for the upgrading of Donegal International Airport; and if he will continue the public service order for the operators at the airport. [15237/11]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Grant aid for urgently required safety works at Donegal Airport including replacement of the airport's localiser system (instrument landing system) and the reconfiguration and overlay of the airport's runway is currently being provided by my Department to the airport. I understand this work is well under way and should be completed within the next few months. As Donegal Airport is a private company, any future plans for the further upgrading of the airport are a matter for the airport management. As decided by Government last week, in the light of the current financial crisis, capital funding will only be provided for necessary safety and security related work at the regional airports in the coming years. A tender process for the renewal of the PSO air services contracts for the Donegal to Dublin and Kerry to Dublin routes was launched on 3 May 2011. It is anticipated that new contracts for a period of three years will be put in place by the end of the year.