Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Craughwell's proposal to suspend the debate because the contents of the circulated letter are deeply concerning. I am a member of the transport committee and one of the amendments being sought by IALPA relates to licence holders' forums and the right to be heard and be part of the conversation. The very first point made in the letter is that the Minister of State only met representatives of IALPA last night for a half hour. There has not been proper consultation. Many of us as elected representatives have been very frustrated trying to make the case for IALPA so it is disappointing they only got a meeting with the Minister of State last night for only half an hour. The group is bringing very significant concerns. It is worth putting them on the public record.

The air accident investigation report on R116 was published after the Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020 passed through initial stages in the Oireachtas. IALPA believes, therefore, that representatives of the Dáil and particularly those on the Select Committee on Transport and Communications did not have the opportunity to scrutinise the Bill through the prism of that accident report. IALPA indicates that when it raised that matter with the Minister of State, she deferred to her departmental official, who replied that the Department had sight of the draft final R116 accident report and decided on necessary amendments arising from that. The report references a lack of technical expertise in the Department, so although it proposes to make amendments, it does not have the technical expertise to do so, according to IALPA.

These are very serious concerns and the only proper course of action now is to suspend our consideration of the Bill and allow people time to reflect on the concerns raised in the letter to the committee. The committee should hear from IALPA before the Bill goes any further.