#AranIslands - Cost should not be the only consideration when it comes to providing air services to the Aran Islands, according to the European Commission.
That was the outcome from a meeting between Brussels officials and MEP Marian Harkin, who was accompanied to EC headquarters this week by two Aran Islanders to voice their concerns over the tender for flights between the mainland and the Galway Bay islands, as Galway Bay FM reports.
Harkin raised the same issue a month ago in the European Parliament as she called for attention to transport provision for all offshore communities for the EU.
Though the European Commission cannot dictate the terms of such provisions, officials have expressed their expectation that the needs of islands be taken into consideration in any tender contract.
The existing agreement with Aer Arann to provide flights between the islands and Galway was extended at the 11th hour last year after protests against its planned replacement with a helicopter service, but expires this coming October.