Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I ask the Leader for an urgent debate on the pilot training students who are trapped in America. In the past 15 months some 180 students, not all of whom are Irish, have paid approximately €15 million through the Pilot Training College in Waterford, a sister company of Pilot Training Company Florida which trains young people to be airline pilots, mainly commercial pilots. Since the story broke two weeks ago, I have had serious concerns about the lack of sympathy and concern on the part of the State, particularly the Minister responsible, Deputy Leo Varadkar. I ask that the order of the House be amended to request the Minister to provide us with a detailed explanation of what happened. Some of the statements issued by the parties involved in this matter are a source of serious concern. We were told eight or nine months ago, for example, that the Irish Aviation Authority had received, through the auditors of PTC Waterford, confirmation that it was in a position to accept money to train these pilots, yet the Florida Institute of Technology which delivers the training stated yesterday that it had received no up-front payment and was owed €1.4 million in fees. What has become of the €15 million received by PTC Waterford in the past 18 months? This is a very serious issue and there are important questions to be answered. I have been contacted by distraught parents throughout the country whose children are in Florida packing their bags, having received notice to quit from the landlord of their accommodation. Most of them have not even completed 15% of their training, despite having handed over €85,000. That sum would put a student through the full seven or eight years of training for medicine or veterinary medicine, yet no recompense or alternative training has been offered.

When I raised this issue with the Leader, he suggested it be dealt with by way of an Adjournment matter. However, there are broader issues involved. What has happened to the €15 million paid to PTC Waterford and who is accountable for same? There is clearly an issue in regard to light touch regulation, given that this is the third time such an incident has occurred on the watch of the Irish Aviation Authority. The Minister must get a handle on this matter. I am asking that he come before the House to answer a series of questions. Last week I sent him a questionnaire containing 15 questions, but I have received no response. In fact, when I contacted his office on Monday of last week, a staff member informed me that the issue was not even the Minister's responsibility. Something is seriously wrong. We have a duty of care to these young Irish people. This House is the appropriate forum in which to hold a debate on the matter and I demand that it take place today.