Council seeking meeting with Chris Heaton-Harris over Derry to Dublin flight

The meeting was proposed by Ballyarnett SDLP Councillor Brian Tierney at a Council meeting on Wednesday, September 27.

Colr. Tierney said a meeting is needed to discuss the potential reopening of the Derry to Dublin Public Service Obligation (PSO) route.

This follows an earlier proposal by Ballyarnett Sinn Féin Councillor Sandra Duffy for a meeting with the Irish Transport Minister Eamon Ryan about the PSO.

Colr. Tierney said there were ‘lengthy discussions’ about CODA among councillors at a recent financial meeting group and that a business case had also been submitted to Central Government, but responsibility for the case falls on the Northern Ireland Executive.

“We can no longer wait on an Executive being formed,” Colr. Tierney said. “If, and hopefully when, it is formed, they will have 101 issues to deal with.

“In our opinion, we can't wait for them to get their house in order before dealing with this issue.”

Colr. Duffy supported the proposal and said all councillors knew the ‘importance of the airport to the economy and connectivity of the North West’.

“We know the business case has been sitting on a desk in the Executive for a while,” Colr. Duffy said. “I think it would do no harm to actually meet and put further pressure upon [the SoS] in terms of the importance of the airport.”

“We are coming to a very critical phase in terms of funding so if there’s any pressure we can bring to bear, we should be doing that.”