Mr. Bryan Bourke:

I have been impressed. AirNav is something like third in Europe in terms of airspace environmental efficiency this year. The Leas-Chathaoirleach mentioned triangles. We were one of the first countries in Europe to introduce free route airspace, which allows aeroplanes to travel more quickly from A to B. I cannot get much more technical than that. Dublin has introduced continuous descent operations, which I understand involve aeroplanes descending in a much more fuel-efficient way. It has also implemented, or is implementing, a more efficient system of take-offs involving continuous climbing operations. I believe there is a submission in with the IAA to introduce continuous descent at Shannon and Cork. I gather that the efficiency improvements are quite significant. With some of the airlines, the DAA is involved in examining more efficient ways of flying. Its CEO was telling me about a formation based on the way geese fly. It all sounded a bit close together, as turbulence goes back a long way, but there is a genuine desire. We all live on the Earth. When the CEO told me about these measures, I thought to myself, “Gosh, there are people doing things”.