Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Transport; Tourism and Sport his views on the scientific reports commissioned by the EASA on the flight time limitations of air crews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16900/12]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy's question relates to the flight time limitations of air crews.

The current EU rules on flight time limitations for commercial air transport operations are in place since July 2008 and were agreed following difficult negotiations in the European Council and Parliament. Under EU regulations, the European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, is now charged with developing detailed technical rules for all aspects of aircraft operations, including flight time limitations for air crew. Under national law giving effect to these regulations, the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, is the competent authority in the State for the purposes of these regulations and the authority also advises me on all aspects of aviation safety.

The IAA supported the retention of the technical part of the current flight time limitations regime for a longer time span in order to gather evidence on its validity, reliability and operation given its relatively short period of operation since 2008. However, following an extensive stakeholder consultation exercise, which included discussions with aircrew representative organisations, the draft regulation that has now been published by EASA proposes replacing the existing rules with a new flight time limitations regime.

With regard to the scientific reports commissioned by EASA on flight time limitations, the IAA advises me that there were a number of scientific reports on various aspects of flight time limitations but it considers that the possible future merits of the agency's proposed draft regulation on flight time limitations could be identified only following a current scientific study on the draft regulation and the associated guidance material as a complete package.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister will be aware that there is great concern in the industry, particularly among the professionals, including pilots. EASA proposes to bring all European states under one standard with its proposed new flight time limitations. Recent European studies have shown that 50% of the pilots have fallen asleep without having informed their colleagues. Some 80% have said they made mistakes due to fatigue, and 40% have reported they have been involved in serious incidents due to fatigue.

The difficulty is that the agency wants to extend duty limits even further. The statistics I have outlined, together with scientific and medical evidence gleaned over 40 years, lead one to conclude that there is no justification for the extension of the limits. Quite the contrary, the numbers who fall asleep without informing their colleagues and who make mistakes due to fatigue and the number of serious incidents due to fatigue demonstrate the necessity to reduce the limits rather than increase them. The extension clearly causes great concern among the travelling population and the professionals in the industry. It is not a matter of pilots or professionals wanting to extend their break periods but of ensuring much greater safety. There is a disparity between the views in Europe and the United States on this matter. I would welcome the Minister's comments on that.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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This is largely a regulatory issue. The IAA is the competent authority in this regard but I am keeping abreast of the matter. I agree with Deputy Dooley that this is primarily a matter of safety, and decisions will be based on scientific research. It is not primarily a labour relations issue.

There has been much scientific research published but it can be somewhat subjective taken in isolation. I am informed there has been no scientific study to date on the existing flight time limitation scheme as a complete package. The existing flight time limitation package has only been in place since 2008 and there has not yet been a comprehensive scientific study as to its effectiveness. It may be too soon to start changing the rules before the existing ones have been in place for a reasonable time.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I understand this issue was due to be discussed at the Council meeting on transport last week. Will the Minister outline what emerged as part of the discussion?

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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It was not discussed at the Council meeting as it was not on the agenda, but there was an informal discussion over lunch among the Ministers. Participants just compared notes and no decision was made.

Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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Every aircraft flying anywhere in the world should be flown by a crew working to flight time limitations backed up by scientific research and not on the basis of purely commercial need. Pilot unions around the world have been raising the issue of pilot fatigue for years. To ignore the message would be a mistake. It is very important.

While I have taken on board some of the Minister's points, I believe it is important that there be standards and that our airspace be protected thereunder. We definitely must have some means of assessing the standards.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As I stated, under Irish law the IAA is the competent authority regarding the EASA regulations. The IAA represents Ireland on the Commission's EASA committee and EASA's Advisory Group of National Authorities. As such, I have every confidence in the professional and technical expertise of the IAA to carry out its statutory duties in this regard.