Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Senators contributing to this debate and I have carefully noted the issues raised. I hope I will be able to respond adequately. If I do not, I invite the Senators to write directly to me on any issue which I do not have sufficient time to clarify now.

It is important to understand the stage we are now at and the manner in which we are moving forward on the issue. For example, over the past decade air traffic growth has topped 50%. It is clear this trend will continue. Europe has close to 9 million flights per year, and there are up to 30,000 flights on busier days. Eurocontrol expects that current traffic will double by 2020. Current systems, with ongoing improvements, should be able to handle this increased load until approximately the middle of the next decade. After this more radical measures will be called for to avoid serious congestion.

I have visited a number of our own centres under the control of IAA. I have been impressed with the level of technology now in place within these centres, and we are able to accommodate today's capacity. Other measures may be required in future.

The single European sky initiative is expected to lay the foundations of a unified system which will be able to cater for the anticipated growth as well as bringing other benefits arising from the positive aspects of such a unified system. The initiative launched by the European Commission aims to restructure European airspace as a function of air traffic flows, rather than according to national borders. Hence, it will designed to facilitate air traffic to get from A to Z in a much quicker and seamless system. Instead of being obliged to deal with the 73 air traffic control centres mentioned, a seamless system will be in operation.

The initiative's purpose is also to create additional capacity and increase the overall efficiency of the air traffic management system. Eurocontrol has considerable expertise and experience in these fields which will be applied to make the single European sky initiative a reality. The revised convention seeks to provide a more effective air traffic management institutional policy and decision-making structure for Europe, with the overall objective of increasing airspace capacity and, as I have noted, reducing air traffic control delays.

The pressure for change came from a number of sources, particularly airlines' dissatisfaction with the failure to unify and centralise air traffic management in Europe. When implemented, the convention will provide for the necessary institutional reforms required to achieve a uniform European air traffic management system for the control of general air traffic in European airspace as well as in and around airports.

I will try to deal with the issues raised by Members. My good friend Senator Browne referred to an issue that is of concern to many passengers whose experiences have been similar to his. I understand a number of the Senator's colleagues in the Fine Gael Party have also had this experience. The Senator might mention to Deputy Deasy that he made a great mistake. If I had been invited to the Deputy's wedding in Rome, I would have ensured none of my colleagues in Fine Gael would have experienced any chaos, as the Senator put it.