John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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230. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to open negotiations with the EU Commission and to seek support for permission for the Government to establish and fund an international public service obligation for Kerry Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26465/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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As outlined in the National Aviation Policy published in 2015, there are currently two Public Service Obligation (PSO) air services supported by the Exchequer through my Department's Regional Airports Programme.  These PSO services operate between Donegal and Dublin and Kerry and Dublin.

It is considered that the existing PSO air services from Kerry and Donegal provide an adequate level of international access to the regions through connections into and out of Dublin Airport. Cork and Shannon Airports and Ireland West Airport Knock also provide for international access for the Western seaboard.

The current contract for the operation of these two services will expire on 31 January 2018.  It is an EU requirement that the continuing justification for any PSO services is reviewed prior to tendering again for such services.  Our focus at present is on conducting this review, following which a decision will then be made on the future of those PSO air services in Ireland, subject of course to overall Exchequer resources.