Flights between Dublin, Donegal and Sligo will be restored within four to five weeks, the Department of Transport pledged last night.
Airlines are to be invited to tenders for the contract to provide State-subsidised services from the two regional airports to the capital in place of Euroceltic Airways, which ceased flying this month.
Discussions have already been held with three carriers, one of which is believed to be Aer Arann.
It is believed that the Department has opted for a rapid tender to ensure that the public service obligation (PSO) airlink between Dublin and the north west is re-opened without delay.
The PSO service contract for Derry is set to end by close of year and the Minister, Mr Brennan, believes a temporary service to Donegal and Sligo will grant him breathing space, while he assesses the long-term viability of the programme.
"The Minister is not sure that PSO is necessarily the best way to go in the future. He is considering whether some sort of unified service might not be more cost effective and efficient," said a source at the Department.
