John O'Mahony (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming in to hear this debate. He is certainly earning his keep this morning and debunking the idea that everyone around here is on holidays. I thank him for that.

I raise a serious point in regard to the standards of maps and charts used by the aviation community, including the emergency services. I have been contacted by individuals who represent those in the more amateur side of it, in light aircraft and recreational aviation, parachuting, balloon, etc. Concerns were raised again following last week's "Prime Time" programme which stated that some flaws in the maps and charts were raised by pilots a number of years ago. I do not want to get into the case of the tragedy in Blacksod Bay. There is an ongoing investigation and I do not want to interfere with that. However, I make the general point of flaws that are in maps and charts. What I am asking is that the fears of the aviation community would be allayed for once and for all.

I refer to the absence of any depiction of high ground, hills or mountain in the islands, for instance, along the west coast of Ireland. The maps given to me reveal that even though there is a mountain, Slievemore, of 2,000 ft. on Achill Island, which is only five miles from Blacksod Bay, it is not shown on the chart. Instead, it appears that the ground is flat. There is a figure given but there is no tinting on the map. I can supply the Minister with the map that was given to me, and an amended version in which there is a significant difference as well. As was stated on the "Prime Time" programme, the UNESCO World Heritage site in Skellig Michael is recorded on the chart as 56 m when the actual height is 217 m. It reported other areas where spot heights are missing as well.

The Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, which is the agency charged with regulating this, states that the maps and charts are being continually upgraded and corrected. Has this happened in the 2017 version? I note there were some new maps supposed to be put in use this year. I would worry at the following IAA statement to a Sunday newspaper on Sunday last:

Be informed that while all care and attention was taken in the production of this chart and the information depicted is drawn from the most reliable sources, the IAA makes no warranty to its accuracy or completeness and disclaims all or any liability. The information is useful for orientation, navigation and general visualisation of terrain but it does not guarantee clearance above terrain or man-made obstacles.

Have the flaws that I have pointed out been corrected in the 2017 version so that we can put some of these concerns to bed?