John Dennehy (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. The twin aims of the legislation are improved safety and seamless travel between European destinations. They are the key outcomes projected by the Bill. These developments will be supported by the millions of passengers using airports such as Dublin, Shannon and Cork regularly. I was glad that Deputy Olivia Mitchell welcomed the Bill because it is important that we should all support necessary legislation on safety and related matters.

The legislation, by modernising air traffic control, will greatly assist the 35 member states under the remit of Eurocontrol, and the planned revision of its operations will only come into full force when the remaining nine of the 35 member states ratify it. That cannot happen quickly enough because there has been foot dragging internationally on the question of safety. People are sceptical about handing over control to an organisation that has a Europe-wide remit but it is essential to have greater co-ordination of airspace and more work is needed in this regard.

The rapid and massive expansion of air travel has led to a need for better control. It is frightening for intending passengers to read about major air incidents involving aeroplanes flying too close to each other or entering the wrong airspace and so on. One feels a little helpless because airspace control is technical and almost beyond our comprehension. When experts and pilots' representative associations highlight such incidents, it gives a fair warning to the air navigation authorities and Transport Ministers to get their act together to enact the necessary legislation. Factors other than overcrowding generate negative coverage and, for instance, one pilot had a reported breakdown last year as a result of stress. Complaints have been made by one pilots' representative association that attempts to generate faster turnarounds are creating a more dangerous environment for everybody involved. These issues need to be addressed by legislation that will cover everybody.

I will be parochial and refer to Cork Airport. If Ireland is to adhere to the requirements regarding controls, safety, services, engineering, maintenance, security and so on, it is essential that funding is available for all airports. The capacity of Cork Airport is set to increase to 3 million passengers annually from 2.5 million in 2005, and it will reach 4.5 million in a decade. Interwoven issues such as traffic volumes and passenger safety take on a hugely important meaning in that context. Standards of aircraft, security services and engineering staff must be supervised and maintained. Cork Airport has a fine reputation and remains at the top of the competitiveness chart in the air travel market, but to ensure that position is maintained, it does not need to labour under a financial millstone.

There will be a transitional period for the Shannon stopover during discussions on an open skies agreement between the EU and the US and there are clear advantages for Dublin Airport in such an arrangement. It must be ensured, therefore, that a progressive airport such as Cork emerges from its period of reconstruction debt free so that it can compete with Dublin and Shannon airports immediately. A share of the transatlantic market enjoyed equally by these airports is not an unrealistic or selfish aim for Cork Airport. As a member of the airport consultative group, it is my ambition that this should happen reasonably quickly.

The Governments would like the three airports to operate effectively and to be successful in their own right because this will lead to a more localised or regional roll-out of economic benefits in tourism, trade and industrial development. Autonomous boards such as that governing Cork Airport are designed to give strong local leadership which will enable the airports to equip themselves with new strategies to maximise returns from the ever changing environment of air travel. The State Airports Act 2004 offers new challenges for Cork Airport to reorganise its activities and to maintain progress because it will lead to increased choice for passengers, which in turn will present more opportunities for airport business and airline companies. The national development plan is based on a model that identifies various cities and towns as gateways to regions or particular zones, and Cork Airport is the gateway to the southern region. Its importance to the region cannot be exaggerated.

In the period prior to completion of the Cork and Shannon airport authorities, it is imperative that the group acting as Aer Rianta, namely, the Dublin Airport Authority, is not allowed to impose long-term financial conditions which would effectively spancel the new Cork authority. It must be borne in mind that these will be two competing authorities within a very short period. It is a worry to locals that conditions imposed now could jeopardise the future of Cork Airport. It is worth noting that Cork has been voted the best airport for the past four or five years in succession and we must not allow that status to be undermined.

Arguments are taking place in other areas about the future of Cork Airport vis-À-vis Dublin, Aer Rianta, the national plan for aviation and so on. However, we must look back a little bit when the first split up of the airports was mooted. The official line at the time is worth repeating, which, I hope, is still the case. A letter from the private secretary at the office of the Minister for Transport reads as follows:

It is envisaged that the two new independent airport authorities for Shannon and Cork will both commence business free of debt and that the debts associated with these airports, including the debt associated with the major new investment programme currently underway at Cork Airport, will remain with Dublin Airport.

It also states:

The Minister is also giving detailed consideration to the implications for Dublin Airport of absorbing the debt of Shannon and Cork as currently envisaged. . .

Aside from a debt-free start, which of course in itself will be a major boost for the new Cork enterprise, the funding of future developments at each of the three airports will be a matter for commercial consideration by the new independent airport authorities.

I do not wish to get into another argument about this matter. I am concerned that for commercial and other reasons the people who have their hand in the till at the moment, namely, the Dublin Airport Authority, may be inclined to impose a situation that could distort the commercial future for both airports. This should not happen because if there is a policy, it should be adhered to.

It is obvious that the existing Irish Aviation Authority would have to alter some of its current practice to fit in with the changing nature of air traffic management, including compliance with a new European air traffic flow management system. The new air traffic control building which is currently being constructed on the western side of the airfield in Cork will be equipped with the latest technology. This will enable it to comply with any regulation of air traffic management. I express my ignorance of the technical aspects of this, but I am sure we can comply with any new requirements.

The current Government policy is aimed at safeguarding the integrity of Irish airspace, which includes utilising the airspace to maximum commercial advantage in a safe and effective fashion. I take Deputy Crowe's point that we need to maximise the benefits of it. As one of my broadcaster friends, Mr. Tom MacSweeney of RTE, said, "We are an island race", therefore, we must recognise the importance of aviation and utilise it for commercial and passenger use.

Under the Bill, it is essential to put in place standards from which any company cannot deviate. Commercial requirements must not be allowed to dictate the agenda, especially where safety is concerned. Other people referred to this aspect. We are hearing from the professionals involved that safety could be compromised because of some new efforts to make more and more money.

The passage of the Bill will allow the Irish Aviation Authority to prepare, with confidence, for the expected further growth in air traffic volumes. It will have an obvious impact on issues such as safety, security, the environment and the entire air travel community. Air traffic is increasing, and will continue to do so. As Deputy Crowe said, it is important that the link between huge commercial development and the public is maintained. There is huge commercial development, thank God, which I expect to continue. As a result, there will be greater use of air transport, for which we must budget and plan. Ireland has a significant role to play in this co-operative arrangement, whether in the area of extending practices that would lead to better collective safety or the more mundane but important matter of collecting control charges and taxes. While the new Act would not compromise our airspace or defence strategies, it would help establish a framework for the so-called single European sky policy as well as international co-operation in aviation matters. Less bureaucracy and more pan-European compliance would help to streamline traffic management and, ultimately, combat the dreaded delays to which we can all relate. This, in turn, would help reduce the 350,000 flight hours wasted each year, the benefits of which will be clear for all to see. We all have concerns in that area which we may not always understand. Mismanagement, difficulties with air control, conflicting objectives of airlines and airports and the competition between them comes into play in this regard. There needs to be a set of standards and guidelines.

The Bill will provide for greater access to inspection. Deputy Crowe referred to seizing papers and so on, but many people have been concerned about the present situation in regard to inspections at Shannon. I am sure anything that will improve this situation will be welcomed.

While I will not say people have been lackadaisical, the energy has not been shown to deal speedily enough with the rapid increase in air travel. I am not talking about just Ireland, but European-wide. People are competing for their own space, and there is only so much airspace available. European airspace is said to be the busiest in the world. There are particular patches within this airspace that are extremely congested and need to be monitored carefully. It will be too late to do so when an accident happens. Given the capacity numbers on larger airplanes, if anything goes wrong, it will lead to a horrific situation.

A number of Deputies referred to civilian and military use of airplanes. I am sure this question will be answered by the Minister in his closing statement. The issue that appeared to grab most attention up to now was the leasing of aircraft and the possible seizure and detention of them. The Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, said that it was not intended to deal with that issue in the Bill, even though all those concerned were listened to. I am sure the Minister will also comment on this aspect.

I am pleased to have had an opportunity to contribute to the Bill. I do not mind being parochial, because I am speaking about a national airport which has been voted the best in the country for years. It earned that title. The staff worked hard, dealing with passengers in a humane and business-like manner and everyone made an effort. We cannot allow a situation to be created artificially whereby this effort is spancelled. I look forward to fighting the case for Cork and my constituents.

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