Islanders keep up fight for ferry justice

Residents of Inis Mór have called for ‘unfair’ and ‘discriminatory’ ferry levies to be dropped.

A public meeting on the largest Aran island this week also backed the local Co-Op’s calls for the Government to put in place a contract with a ferry operator.

More than 100 people attended the meeting in the community centre, Halla Rónáin, which was organised by Comharchumann Forbartha Árann. It was addressed by Co-Op manager Cathy Ní Ghoill and chairman, Micheál Ó Goill.

Those present thanked the Co-Op for the battle they have waged to-date to try and save the island’s transport services; and they gave the go-ahead for the Co-Op to keep fighting.

Galway County Council meets this coming Monday and islanders hope that the ferry levy will be on the agenda.

“We are hoping that County Councillors will revisit the whole levy issue. We want them to consider our plight and look again at the levies,” said Ms Ní Ghoill.

The Co-Op also plans to meet with department officials again later next week, depending on what is decided by the County Council.

At a meeting on January 6, Gaeltacht Minister Joe McHugh and his officials gave a commitment that the island would not be without a ferry. However, Minister McHugh didn’t outline what the department’s ‘Plan B’ is, if, as has been threatened, the ferry company, Island Ferries Teo, ceases its service to Inis Mór.

The company had threatened to pull the plug on the service as of January 17, following a court decision late last year in relation to levies. Island Ferries subsequently extended the deadline to February 1, in the hope that the issue of levies might be resolved. The company is happy to pay a levy per tonnage, but is not willing to pay a ‘travel tax’ per passenger.

“Regardless of what happens with the levy, and we are optimistic that our concerns around the levy will be listened to. But regardless, islanders want the Government to put in place a contract with the operator,” she said.

Ms Ní Ghoill pointed out that residents of the Aran Islands are charged €15 per journey; yet those on travelling on the ferry to Inis Meain and Inis Oírr pay just €10 because the two islands are covered by a Government contract.  Currently, the operator can charge whatever price it wants to travel to Inis Mór; but there is a cap on the price for the other two islands due to the contract. Agreement was not reached last year between the operator and Government on a contract.

Meanwhile, tender documents for the air service to the islands are due to be published in the coming weeks. However, islanders have yet to receive official confirmation about the new tender, and they are still seeking a meeting with the department.