Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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638. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport following confirmation that the British Department for Transport has agreed to co-fund the re-instatement of the Derry to Dublin air connection and further to his response to previous Parliamentary Question No. 1148 of 3 November 2015, if he will support the application from the City of Derry Airport to co-fund this air link in acknowledgement of the massive infrastructure deficits in linking Donegal and Derry to Dublin, in comparison with other major cities and regions. [44139/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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​Since PQ No. 1148 of 3 November last, I have responded on this matter to the Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. In that response, I pointed out that while I would very much welcome this proposed new route, we do not have any schemes similar to the UK Government's Regional Air Connectivity Fund and there is no Exchequer funding available to support new route start-ups. The only Exchequer funding currently available to support air services is that devoted to our two remaining PSO routes, namely Donegal/Dublin and Kerry/Dublin.

However, I pointed out that the daa has a Short Haul Route Support Scheme which may be applicable to the proposed new Derry/Dublin route and I suggested that the prospective air carrier, Citywings, should discuss the potential for support from this source with the daa. I also suggested, however, that Citywings should check with the UK authorities as to whether any additional supports for this route could impact on the level of support from the UK's Connectivity Fund.