Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the members and officials for facilitating me. I have a prearranged meeting at 2 p.m. in the Department of Finance and, unfortunately, I will have to leave this meeting. I would very much like to stay because this is an area where I have a little experience but a lot of interest. The context of the air navigation and transport Bill 2019 derives from a European Union, EU, policy recommendation regarding the model being used in many European states. A significant part of the purpose of the Bill concerns the fact that the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, has a dual mandate. It is involved in commercial air traffic control services and has a significant income from that aspect of its operations. The State is benefiting very much as a result. The IAA is also a regulator and sometimes as a result there can a perception, although not in this case, of a potential conflict or overlap in interests.

Overall, I welcome the Bill. It is very good. Going back to 2017, much work was done in this area, including the production of a national policy statement and the commissioning of a review of airport charges. This has been much stakeholder involvement in the process. I am aware of that background. My question is primarily from an aviation perspective. Representatives from a number of airlines have been in touch regarding the potential cost involved in this separation of functions. How much will it cost? Figures have been bandied about with suggestions that it might be as much as €80 million. Is it expected that the airlines, which will eventually mean the passengers, will have to pay that amount of money?