Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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205. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of airlines his Department has engaged with and or written to in respect of the interim provision of the Donegal to Dublin air service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33472/21]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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206. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of airlines that have expressed an interest in the interim provision of the Donegal to Dublin air service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33473/21]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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207. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the date by which expressions of interest and or submissions are to be made to his Department by airlines in respect of the interim provision of the Donegal to Dublin air service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33474/21]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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208. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the date by which an airline is to be appointed for the interim provision of the Donegal to Dublin air service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33475/21]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 205, 206, 207 and 208 together.

As the Deputy is aware, Stobart Air held the contract for operating Government supported PSO air services on two routes between Dublin and the airports of Donegal and Kerry.  The recent termination of its franchise agreement with Aer Lingus resulted in the cancellation of these services with immediate implications for users of the PSOs.

I can assure the Deputy that the restoration of regional connectivity is of critical importance to Government. Work is already progressing to restore air services on these vital regional routes as soon as possible.

In that respect, and as announced on 15 June, an emergency procurement process has been initiated by my Department.  All Irish licenced (Category A) air carriers, as well as other carriers who have expressed an interest in operating these services, were issued with a Request for Quote (RfQ) document by my Department on 21^stJune. The closing date for receipt of quotations from air carriers, in response to this RfQ, is 5pm on Monday 28^thJune 2021. The evaluation of submissions will commence immediately afterwards.

It is my hope that this procurement can be concluded early in July with a view to services re-commencing by the new operator(s) as soon as possible thereafter. The contract(s) will be subject to a maximum term of 7 months and will operate in accordance with EU law.

To mitigate against any further disruption to these services, my Department will shortly launch a procurement process for the continued provision of the services after the temporary arrangements have expired. This procurement process will provide for contracts of up to 4 years, in line with EU law, and will ensure the continuation of services to Donegal Airport as it recovers from the impacts of Covid.

My Department will continue to engage closely with aviation stakeholders, including Donegal Airport, to keep them informed of plans in this regard.