Work is expected to begin this month on building an airstrip on one of the country's busiest offshore islands.
Plans have been considered for years to provide an air link between Inishbofin off the Galway coast and the mainland.
Up to now the island has had to depend on a ferry service from Cleggan in Connemara to bring most of the tourists to the scenic island.
But now work is to finally start on building an airstrip on the island which will result in flights from Inishbofin to a landing strip that is to be developed at Cloonlaghtanabba near Clifden.