Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Clare Daly and Barry for raising this very important and topical matter, namely, the recent crisis relating to and the pay and conditions of pilots at Ryanair.

The ongoing events affecting Ryanair flights across Europe, and especially those affecting Irish travellers, are deeply regrettable. This is a very serious, pan-European service failing that seems to have arisen at very short notice. The scale of the Ryanair network has certainly exacerbated the impact. There is some solace in EU consumer protection provisions, which in Ireland are safeguarded by the Commission for Aviation Regulation. As the designated national body for the enforcement of air passenger rights under Regulation No. 261/2004, I assure the Deputies that as soon as the announcements were made by Ryanair, our aviation regulator was in contact with the company to make sure consumer protection issues were to the fore. I am advised that those contacts are ongoing.

The regulator has confirmed that, under EU consumer protections, the carrier is obligated to reroute passengers at the earliest possible opportunity and to provide care and assistance, namely: meals and refreshments; hotel accommodation in cases where an overnight stay becomes necessary; transport between the airport and place of accommodation; and two telephone calls, emails, faxes or telexes. The airline must also offer the choice of a full refund. Those are steadfast requirements with which Ryanair will have to comply for all of its affected customers in Ireland.

The regulator has already advised affected customers to submit claims for refunds and compensation directly to the airline in the first instance. If consumers are not satisfied with the response of Ryanair, they may make a complaint to the regulator in cases where the cancelled a flight was from Ireland. Similarly, if a flight was due to depart from another EU member state, the complaint will be handled by the national enforcement body in that jurisdiction. Further information is available on the regulator's website, www.flightrights.ie.

As to the causes of this disruption, that is a matter for Ryanair to clarify and explain. I have no wish to speculate as to the inner workings of a private company. I note that a number of factors have been attributed by the company, including adverse weather conditions. However, in so far as the company has pointed to changes to EU regulations affecting leave arrangements for staff as a factor, I can advise the following: The Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, is the independent regulator in Ireland responsible for safety regulation, oversight and inspection. In that role, the IAA is responsible for ensuring that all Irish registered airlines comply with European aviation safety regulations, including those governing so-called flight time limitations.

Revised European flight time limitations came into effect last year, and Ryanair has transitioned to them. The limitations restrict the number of pilot and cabin crew hours that are permissible during a 12-month period. I am advised by the IAA that all Irish airlines have always been and continue to be fully compliant with the regulations governing flight time limitations. While I appreciate that the Deputies would very much like to instigate a broader debate on pay and conditions of workers, we are talking about a private, commercial company. I have no remit in this regard. Matters of staff relations, rosters, remuneration rates and terms and conditions of employment are a matter for the company and its employees. As I have explained, there are EU laws limiting annual flight times by pilots and crew, and I understand that Ryanair complies with those.

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