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

This group of amendments relates to the annexes to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. The Chicago convention established the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, and the rules of air space, aircraft registration and safety, security and sustainability. Annex 12 of the convention relates to the establishment, maintenance and operation of search and rescue services by ICAO contracting states, while annex 16 concerns environmental protection measures undertaken by ICAO contracting states.

Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 amend section 14 and provide AirNav Ireland with the vires to provide aeronautical rescue co-ordination for search and rescue services as per annex 12 of the Chicago convention. Amendments Nos. 14 and 15 amend section 71 to clarify that the Minister may by order assign functional responsibility for a part of an annex to the Chicago convention to the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA.

Amendments Nos. 21 and 22 amend Schedule 2. Amendment No. 21 clarifies that the IAA has functional responsibility for the rescue co-ordination centres and for the rescue sub-centres aspect of annex 12 of the convention. Amendment No. 22 provides that the IAA has functional responsibility for annex 16 of the convention, save volume 4, which relates to carbon offsetting and reduction scheme for international aviation, CORSIA.

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