David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

I wish to raise the issue of the student pilots left stranded in Florida after their training was suspended. A number of issues in this regard need to be discussed, including the Irish Aviation Authority and the light touch regulation mentioned earlier, the company involved in pilot training and its funding. There is also an issue with regard to the fact that Enterprise Ireland has invested significant amounts of taxpayers' money in the company. There is no issue with regard to investing, but the problem is that now that the company has gone belly-up and the pilots have been left stranded, there is an added responsibility on the State to ensure that the pilots get proper compensation and are permitted to finish their courses, which is most important. I support the call for a debate on this issue. It would be wrong for these Houses to rise for the summer recess without any debate on this issue.

The immediate and most pressing issue concerns what practical supports can be given to the trainee pilots over the coming weeks and months. It will be too late if we return in September for a discussion on this issue. It must be dealt with now as it is an urgent priority. The pressing priority for the trainee pilots is that they be permitted to finish their courses. I welcome the fact that the Irish Aviation Authority has offered to pay for flights home for them, but with the caveats already mentioned by Senator Keane. These pilots simply want to finish their courses and that is the issue that needs to be resolved. It is there that the main responsibility of the State lies. There are also wider issues concerning the regulation of this area, the light touch regulation and issues such as the financing of the company. These issues need to be addressed in the medium to long term, but the short-term priority for the Government must be to do what it can to support the trainee pilots and ensure they can finish their courses. I ask for a debate on this in the next number of days, before the recess.