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

I thank the Deputy for the question. As the third anniversary of the tragic accident at Cork Airport has just passed, I extend my deepest sympathy to the relatives of the six passengers and air crew who lost their lives and the six passengers who were injured. The investigation into this accident was conducted by the air accident investigation unit of my Department and I commend the work of the investigation team in producing a very comprehensive report.  The team put an enormous amount of work into it in the past few years and has done a sterling job in its report.

The operator of the aircraft involved in the crash at Cork Airport was licensed in Spain and responsibility for safety oversight of its operations rested with the Spanish regulatory authorities under EU law.  In Ireland the Irish Aviation Authority has statutory responsibility for overseeing safety standards of civil aviation in the State, including airlines and crew members licensed in Ireland and aircraft registered here. 

The AAIU report on the Cork Airport crash made 11 safety recommendations. These were addressed to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO; the European Commission, the European Aviation Safety Agency, the Spanish civil aviation authority and the Spanish operator of the aircraft involved.

None of the safety recommendations was directed to an Irish agency.  It is important that all of the safety recommendations made in the report are addressed by the organisations concerned.

Ireland has an excellent record and reputation in aviation safety and the report does not bring this into question.  The IAA regulates the sector on the basis of international standards set down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, and on the basis of EU regulations.  It is audited regularly by both the European Aviation Safety Agency and ICAO.  These audits ensure that the IAA operates to the highest standards, and I have every confidence in the IAA's effectiveness in ensuring that Irish aviation is and will continue to be one of the safest in the world.

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