£4.5m air fund to help support Derry-GB links with talks ongoing over Dublin route

The NI Domestic Aviation Kickstart Scheme will support airlines to enhance air connectivity between the three local airports and Britain.

Steve Frazer, Managing Director of City of Derry Airport, said: “I am pleased that NI Executive Ministers have provided a further catalyst for the recovery of NI’s economy in the form of the NIDAKS. We look forward to positive outcomes from the support and will continue to engage with the Economy Minister and his Department regarding connectivity to the North West.”

Mr. Frew said enhancing links with Great Britain ‘can only help make NI even more attractive as a place to invest’.

This week Finance Minister Conor Murphy said he had asked both the British and Irish governments to support air connectivity from CoDA. “When I was in London a number of weeks ago, I spoke to Grant Shapps about support for connectivity here,” he confirmed. Mr. Murphy said has also discussed the issue with Minister of Transport Eamon Ryan and the Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton in Dublin. We have also raised it with Dublin, particularly in respect of the City of Derry Airport, its air routes with Dublin and the possibility of supported air routes. We had intended to raise the issue on the margins of the North/South Ministerial Council on Friday, but the meeting did not happen.”