A FERRY service to one of Fermanagh’s most iconic landmarks could soon be back up and running.

The crossing from Trory townland to the Devenish Island monastic site was suspended in August 2015, due to “budgetary pressures”.

The Molaise III, an Osprey 12 passenger cruiser accessible to wheelchairs, had been running a five-day ferry service on the route after being reinstated by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) in 2012.

However, the Department for Communities, through its Historic Environment Division (HED), has announced that it is now seeking to conduct a ‘trial operation’ of a licensed public ferry service on the route between May and November this year.

In a public notice placed in the local press, the HED has invited tenders for the service, which has been stopped for almost two years.

The advertisement states that the closing date for receipt of all tenders is Friday, April 28.

Enniskillen councillor, Howard Thornton, who has been campaigning for the re-instatement of the Devenish ferry service since it was suspended, has welcomed the move, but added that it was “long overdue”.

Describing the historic monastic settlement as “the most iconic symbol of the county”, Mr. Thornton said: “I would welcome any move to reinstate the island as a tourist facility.”

The Ulster Unionist representative had previously raised the issue of the suspended ferry service at the March monthly meeting of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

Robert Gibson, the Council’s Director of Community, Health and Leisure, had told the meeting that he was not aware of any update or correspondence from the HED.

Speaking this week, Mr. Thornton said he had highlighted the issue to “try to push the thing forward” and get the service up and running as soon as possible. He said: “We understood that there was some interest from private operators to take on the service, which has been neglected for too long. We were aware of some negotiation. After the Council meeting in March, a letter was sent to a senior civil servant in the Department. Obviously that has paid off and at least some action has been taken.”