Mr. Evan Cullen:

I would refer members to tab one, and page five on the top right hand corner. I want to draw the committee's attention to the second last paragraph which concerns a list of grievances or complaints that we had about the functioning of the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA. We got into a debate with the IAA about how it is using its reporting systems. I would like to read this into the record:

The audit may also miss the fact that pilots may not use reporting system in circumstances where they have lost faith in the confidentiality or impartiality of such systems. Low use of reporting systems might then be misinterpreted as an absence of issues to be reported, leading to potential suppression of issues of significant concern.

I also bring the committee's attention to page 26. This is a letter from the IAA to IALPA in response to our complaints. This is a phrase that is colloquially known among pilots as the "God clause". I want to read it into the record:"We do not report to the individual reporter on the outcome of investigations, but we may interview him or her to obtain further information." This is referring to a situation where the IAA believes it has an absolute right, when it receives confidential information or information of a safety nature, not to tell the reporter, the pilot or the engineer who provided the information if it is going to investigate the matter. Even more damaging from our point of view is that it does not have to tell the individual who reported if there is an outcome to the investigation and whether it has investigated. There is no feedback and no response. There is nothing. Information that is provided to the IAA goes into a black hole from which it never emerges, from our point of view.