A bid to attract a Ryanair engine overhaul facility to Northern Ireland could mark a significant step towards one of the key objectives of A Pathfinder for Irish Aviation, the industry-backed strategy published by Irelandia in 2025. Northern Ireland is competing with Spain and Poland for one of two facilities that Ryanair plans to establish as it brings engine overhaul work in-house from 2029.

Ryanair Holdings is headquartered in Dublin and listed on Euronext Dublin and the London Stock Exchange. For the year ended 31 March 2025, the group reported revenue of 13.95 billion euros and net profit of 1.61 billion euros.

Irelandia is an Irish aviation investment group founded by Declan Ryan. Its Pathfinder report was prepared by Eamonn Brennan and Joe Gill after consultations with 33 industry leaders.

The Northern Ireland proposal could create up to 600 highly skilled aerospace jobs, and the Belfast Telegraph reported that the hub is worth around 400 million euros. An incentive package of 67 million pounds has been offered to secure the project.

Among the Pathfinder’s five recommendations was a strategic expansion of maintenance, repair and overhaul capability across the island, including at least one world-class aircraft engine overhaul facility to complement Ireland’s strength in aircraft leasing, aviation finance and airline operations. Irelandia’s progress report earlier this year noted that discussions were actively under way on engine overhaul opportunities in Northern Ireland.

Rising demand for engine overhaul is the driver. Fleet growth, supply chain constraints and shortages of shop capacity, particularly for new-generation engines, are pushing airlines to seek greater control over maintenance, and Goodbody forecasts the global engine MRO market will grow from 119 billion dollars (102 billion euros) in 2024 to 156 billion dollars (134 billion euros) by 2035.

The facility would primarily support Ryanair’s growing fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft powered by CFM LEAP-1B engines. Bringing more maintenance under its own control would help the airline reduce dependence on third-party providers while improving long-term fleet availability and operational resilience.

Should the project be secured for Northern Ireland, it would be one of the largest aerospace investments on the island in recent years.

For the sector, the outcome of the contest will be closely watched by aviation stakeholders who see engine overhaul as a major opportunity for future aerospace growth.

Source: Flying in Ireland / Irish Times / Travel Extra