NI Still in Contention for Ryanair Maintenance Facility
Northern Ireland continues to be a potential location for a Ryanair engine maintenance facility that could generate up to 600 jobs, according to information presented to MLAs.
A senior official informed Stormont's economy committee that discussions have progressed to an advanced stage, with another meeting scheduled for next week.
However, there are no assurances that the project will be established in Northern Ireland, as Ryanair is also evaluating sites in Spain and eastern Europe.
"We are in a competitive environment, competing against a number of other sites across Europe," Ciaran McGarrity told the committee.
McGarrity described the upcoming meeting as a workshop aimed at ensuring all necessary details are obtained to justify investment in the project.
"To make sure we get the detail we require that would justify an investment into that project," he said.
He added that some funding from the Northern Ireland Enhanced Investment Zone, a UK government-funded initiative, could potentially be allocated to support the investment if the project proceeds.
"If that project materialised," McGarrity noted regarding the use of funds from the NI Enhanced Investment Zone.
McGarrity also indicated that Ryanair has been examining various factors related to the investment requirements.
"They have been up here on a number of occasions looking at various opportunities, particularly on the skills opportunity with the colleges."
Ryanair's Broader Maintenance Plans
Last week, Ryanair announced a £40 million investment to expand an existing maintenance operation at Prestwick in Scotland.
The airline intends to bring engine maintenance in-house at two facilities starting from 2029.
