Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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168. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide an update on the review his Department have undertaken on restoring Irish Government funding for the City of Derry Airport and the Derry to Dublin airlink to reflect the fact that 40% of the passengers using the airport are from County Donegal; and if he will confirm the dialogue that has taken place between his Department officials and officials in An Taoiseach's Department to examine financial investment in the airport under the shared island unit. [54048/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware as part of its commitments under New Decade New Approach and in the context of supporting greater connectivity on the island of Ireland, the Government agreed ‘to take forward a review of the potential for Government support to renewed viable air routes from Cork to Belfast and Dublin to Derry, working with the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive to deliver improved connections as a priority’.

My Department has progressed a desk-based review, which Minister Ryan and I are considering in consultation with Government colleagues. My Department engages with the Department of the Taoiseach including the Shared Island unit on an ongoing basis on progressing the Government’s commitments and objectives as set out in the Shared Island elements of the Programme for Government and the revised National Development Plan, including our commitments under the New Decade New Approach agreement.

There is no commitment to include, within the scope of the conducted review or otherwise, consideration of Irish Government funding for City of Derry Airport and consequently that has not been a focus of Departmental work or engagement.

In consideration of potential supports for renewing air services, as part of the review undertaken, my Department has engaged extensively with stakeholders including City of Derry Airport. I have a meeting scheduled with management of the airport next month to discuss the matter further.