Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their contributions to the Second Stage debate. I will endeavour to answer as many questions as I can. I will certainly address any remaining matters on Committee Stage. I welcome the support of Deputies for the Bill.

I will come back to Deputy O'Rourke and some of his questions seeking further information on matters such as costs. They will be kept to a minimum and it is something on which the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, board and senior management are focused. There has been regular engagement between my Department and Fórsa, the main staff union for the IAA and the Commission for Aviation Regulation, CAR, as well as between the company and the staff representatives. The Bill is quite clear that staff terms and conditions will not be affected by any institutional changes.

As I alluded to in my introductory remarks, this important legislation brings together a number of different strands of policy into a single comprehensive Bill to create an independent and strengthened aviation regulator. The recovery to an internationally competitive and sustainable aviation industry needs a strong and reputable regulatory regime.

The proposed institutional reforms contained in the Bill will create a single national aviation regulator responsible for safety, security and economic regulation. In order to do this, the regulatory functions of the IAA and the CAR will be combined. The Bill will also separate the for-profit air traffic control services functions of the IAA and place them in a newly formed commercial semi-State company, which will be called the Irish air navigation service. One of the most important consequences of the Bill is that it will bring to an end to the dual commercial and regulator role of the IAA.

I can finish there if the Ceann Comhairle so wishes.

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