£67m bid to bring Ryanair engine facility and up to 600 jobs to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is in the running for one of the biggest engineering investments the region has seen in a generation. Stormont has confirmed it will offer Ryanair a £67m grant package to base a new aircraft engine maintenance facility here, a project expected to create up to 600 jobs.
What’s being proposed
Ryanair plans to bring its engine maintenance in-house from 2029, split across two new facilities. Northern Ireland is competing with Spain and Poland to host one of them.
The Department for the Economy has described it as potentially the biggest inward investment in two decades. The proposed support breaks down as:
- £30m from the NI Enhanced Investment Zone, the UK government-funded scheme backing manufacturing investment and productivity
- £10m from the Department for the Economy
- £27m from the UK government, which is still under discussion
Nothing is confirmed yet. Ryanair still has to choose between the three locations, and part of the funding is still being agreed.
What it could mean for engineering jobs in Northern Ireland
If Northern Ireland wins the facility, it would mean hundreds of skilled, long-term roles in aircraft engine maintenance, repair and overhaul. That’s likely to include licensed aircraft engineers, mechanical and avionics technicians, NDT inspectors, quality and compliance staff, planners and supervisors.
It would also build on the region’s existing strengths in aerospace and advanced manufacturing. Northern Ireland already has a large, highly skilled workforce in aerostructures, composites and precision engineering. It would add more demand for those skills in a sector where good people are already in short supply.
Thinking about a move into aerospace?
Mydas has been recruiting engineers and technical specialists in Northern Ireland since 1993, with aerospace one of our core sectors. Whether you’re already working in aviation or have transferable skills from manufacturing, automotive or defence, now is a good time to talk to us about where your experience could take you.
Browse our current jobs or submit your CV and we’ll be in touch.
Source: BBC News NI, 20 October 2026. Details first reported by the Belfast Telegraph.