DEPT DISCONTINUES INIS MOR FERRY CONTRACT

Date Published: 31-Jan-2013

The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has confirmed this evening that its ferry contract to the Aran Island of Inis Mór will discontinue today (31 January 2013).

It advertised for expressions of interest on the etenders system and the tender documents were issued with a closing date of 21 December 2012.

However, no tenders were received.

The department says it then entered into discussions with the ferry operator currently providing a service to Árainn with a view to renewing the current contract on the same terms which have been in place to date.

Those talks failed, as the Department was not in a position to sanction an increase of a subsidy for a service which, it says, is profitable as it stands.

The Department says it understands from the ferry operator that it is in a position - without a State grant - to continue with providing the same service to Árainn following the discontinuation of the contract, including the bus service, as it is commercially viable.

Galway West Senator Trevor O'Clochartaigh says Inis Mor residents could now be looking at substantially increased travel costs to the mainland.