Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I certainly support the intent behind the amendment. We need to have better aviation statistics which should be collected and published regularly. I am not convinced that the way it is done now needs to be put in legislation. In the context of aviation policy, I would like to take some time to decide what sort of data should be collected and whether the CSO, the CAR or the Department should do it.

The CSO already has a role in collecting the basic statistics. In February, the Taoiseach signed statutory instruments under the Statistics Act reaffirming that the Central Statistics Office is to be the recipient of returns submitted by ports and airports. The first statutory instrument dealt with air traffic and the second one with sea traffic. This is something I will obviously have to discuss with the Taoiseach and also with the CSO, as there is already a provision for the CSO to do it.

It is something that I support in principle but I cannot support the amendment because it needs to be considered more fully. I will need to have some consultation with the potential bodies as to who might collect the statistics and how.