Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I saw the programme and I understand the point the Deputy is making and his concerns. The Oireachtas has conferred on the IAA the job of being the safety regulator and it does the job very well. I am fully satisfied with the job the IAA is doing. It is audited by International Air Transport Association, IATA, and the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, so we know that the European and international safety bodies have audited the IAA and are happy with the job it is doing.

The specific allegations were that the Ryanair planes had inadequate fuel to complete flights safely. These instances were investigated by the IAA with the co-operation of the Spanish authorities. The investigations concluded the Ryanair planes had complied with the strict IATA fuel regulations and that the allegations were baseless. After the television programme aired, the IAA issued a press release on 15 August stating that Ryanair's fuel policy complied with European regulations. Ryanair has also issued court proceedings against the makers of the programme and against other media outlets and has secured the withdrawal of claims made by one of the outlets in the High Court in Belfast.

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