Aran Islands face up to life without a ferry service

Islanders have woken up today with no ferries between Inis Mór and the mainland until next March – after the operator made good on his threat to pull the service after a compromise agreement on levies could not be reached with Galway County Council.

A meeting yesterday morning between Island Ferries Teo (IFT) and County Chief Executive Kevin Kelly failed to break the deadlock between the two sides over charges for use of the €48m harbour at Kilronan.

The only commitment given by Mr Kelly was to bring the company’s revised offer to today’s budgetary meeting with Galway Councillors. They have offered to pay a 40 cent per passenger journey levy – instead of 80 cent as stipulated in bylaws voted through by Galway County Councillors – and scrap the €5 annual levy for islanders.

Their original offer was to pay €8,000 per vessel levy – amounting to €32,000 annually to the Council – which is how charges operate in Ros a’ Mhíl and Doolin, said a solicitor on behalf of Island Ferries, Jason O’Sullivan.

The revised offer would cost the company €50,000 annually – which had to be backdated to 2012, amounting to a bill of €250,000. This is on top of two failed court cases brought by Island Ferries challenging the validity of the levies set by councillors, which will likely cost in the region of €1 million.

“We’re very disappointed this wasn’t discussed at the meeting on Monday. We have postponed the cancellation date twice in order to allow for consultation. Kevin Kelly was handed this revised offer by Roinn na Gaeltachta on November 10. We have no choice but to go ahead with the immediate withdrawal of ferry services,” he told the Connacht Tribune.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.