Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

Other European countries are going through the same process as Ireland and we expect to see quite a large number of countries signing up to the convention over the coming months. As the Deputy knows, the convention will come into effect when eight countries have signed up to it. Given that the registry is to be located in Ireland, we obviously want to be to the fore in delivering on this.

The Deputy is correct that the convention will be of enormous benefit in terms of air transport and Irish airlines will benefit greatly therefrom. On orders that have already been made and others which I hope will be made in the near future, Irish airlines will be able to purchase aircraft at more favourable rates than those that now obtain in the absence of the convention.