Three new airstrips should be built at Clifden and Inishbofin, Co Galway, and on Tory Island, Co Donegal, according to a study undertaken for the Government.
The four existing airstrips serving the Aran islands also need improvements, and a fortnightly winter helicopter service should be provided for the Mayo islands of Clare and Inishturk, the study said.
The unpublished report, seen by The Irish Times, was commissioned by the former department of arts, heritage, Gaeltacht and the islands and was undertaken by the Air Transport Group at Cranfield University's School of Engineering in Britain.
It is currently before the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuív. In its recommendations, dated October 2001, the study put the estimated cost of the new airstrips at €8.13 million.
The new and upgraded air services would improve the "demographic viability" of the Irish-speaking island communities and maintenance of Irish as a community language, the university group concluded in the 127-page study. It did not believe that additional passenger traffic generated by such transport would significantly affect the use of Irish by these communities.
The report advised that the Government impose public service obligations (PSOs) on the proposed new air services, through three PSO tenders, and it estimated that the running costs for the existing and proposed new airstrips would be €647,566.
Currently, the Aran islands are the only offshore islands to enjoy a regular air link, while a State-subsidised helicopter service is provided for Tory Island, Co Donegal. On the grounds of "equity", a fortnightly helicopter service should be provided for Clare Island and Inishturk, Co Mayo, but there is no case for airstrips on these two islands, the report said.
Planning permission has been approved for an airstrip at Clifden, Co Galway, and at Inishbofin, and an environmental impact statement has been carried out for one on Tory. The original plan for Clifden was abandoned in the face of local opposition over its proposed location on Roundstone Bog.
A revised plan for an alternative site six miles north of Clifden - drawn up by a group headed by a local hotelier, Mr Paul Hughes - was approved by An Bord Pleanála in May 2001. However, while approving the construction of an airstrip in line with Government policy on improved air links, the board rejected plans for a terminal building and associated car-parking.
The report said it would be inappropriate to engage a private-sector management company to run seven island and mainland airstrips as this would involve higher subvention levels and would allow for less input by local and regional stakeholders in decisions.
It said an island airports agency, accountable to the relevant minister, should be responsible for daily management, and ownership of the seven airstrips should eventually rest in government hands.
