Ms Anne Nolan:

I am sure those statistics are available.

Reference was made to streamlining pan-European air traffic control. That is on the cards and it is going through with the single European sky legislative package at the moment. At the moment there are 42 different air traffic navigation service providers throughout Europe. I have the map before me. The committee members are welcome to examine it and it is probably on our website as well. It looks remarkably complicated, unlike in America, where the Federal Aviation Administration is one company that is set up in the same way as the IAA, with safety regulation and air navigation services. The European Union is working towards tidying that up and consolidating it. The Union has put all of us into what are termed functional airspace blocks. Naturally, we are in a block with the United Kingdom. In the past four or five years we have been working very closely with the United Kingdom on various aspects of the provision of air navigation services. Apparently this has resulted in savings of tens of millions of dollars for the airlines. The point is that it will result in savings for airline customers and give passengers a better experience. I remember going to Brussels years ago and we would be in a holding pattern for 20 or 25 minutes before we could land.

I certainly feel that things have improved from that point of view and in general in the context of functional airspace blocks, FABs. The Norwegians, the Swedes and the Danes are involved in an FAB. That is what the EU is trying to do.

There are opportunities for us in respect of this matter but there are also threats. If we do not remain at the top of our game in the context of not investing in best technology available and if, as a result, we only have old technology at our disposal, we will be left behind and we might even be eaten up by our nearest neighbour. Our management team is very much at the forefront in respect of the developments taking place throughout Europe and it is very well regarded. Government policy is that we should be present at all of the discussions which take place in order that we might take advantage of opportunities for Ireland. The last thing I want is for us to disappear off the radar.

We are working in respect of this matter and the Government is very conscious of what is happening. The Minister just launched a draft aviation policy for Ireland. The policy document contains many interesting aspects and it is marvellous that the Minister has introduced it.