Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I responded to this last time. I am very conscious of getting through the legislation. I will give a response again today but I would like to keep it brief, if that is possible, because I am conscious we have important legislation before us.

The IAA has more than 120 safety experts committed to their roles, including 25 highly experienced pilots with aggregated experience of hundreds of years of flying in all large aircraft types, 25 highly qualified and experienced engineers with aggregated hundreds of years of experience in all aspects of airworthiness, other safety experts, including air traffic controllers, air navigation services engineers, as well as experts in aerodrome security, aircraft certification, pilot training and licensing, ground operations, charting, drone regulation, risk management, statistical analysis, aviation medicine etc. It is a leading global expert in safety management systems and it is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, safety management panel, recognised and acknowledged by other states as an excellent regulator with frequent requests for assistance.

Apart from the limited circumstances where there is a reason for a different approach, in normal practice, as with other expert agencies, the IAA is the key source of advice on matters pertaining to aviation safety and security. It is designed to be and its staff are the coalface experts. The IAA is very extensive and has highly regarded technical experts. It operates as part of the executive framework, both with an obligation to decide on matters within its remit and on an independent basis. A different approach is appropriate where it is necessary to have expertise to assess the conduct of the functions by the IAA or in relation to the possible assignment to it of new functions. The Department has availed of such expertise on a number of occasions over recent years.

My Department has access to appropriate aviation expertise in order to provide effective oversight of the IAA. The Department largely operates an external contracting model for specialist aviation expertise. Independent aviation experts are engaged periodically to conduct an examination of the IAA’s performance of its functions relating to the application and enforcement of safety standards pursuant to section 32 of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993. The most recent section 32 examination was carried out in 2019 and the next one is scheduled for 2023. My Department also recently contracted expertise to undertake a review of the IAA’s regulation of areas outside the European aviation safety regulatory regime. In terms of advice on the evolving aviation regulatory and safety oversight environment, the Department has engaged external expertise to advise on, among other things, the framing of aviation coastguard activity provisions in the Air Navigation and Transport Bill and advice to inform our engagement with the Irish Aviation Authority on draft search and rescue rules.

I see significant advantages to the approach of externally contracting specialist aviation expertise as required. It gives you greater access to a range, depth and quantum of expertise compared to a standing appointment of a single expert on contract or otherwise. Notwithstanding the advantages of this approach, I am committed to examine our practice in the area. My Department will undertake further analysis of best practice in this area by reviewing oversight of aviation safety regulation in other jurisdictions and oversight of safety regulation in other sectors in Ireland. We are now moving to scope this work more fully and decide the arrangements for delivery.

I hope that clears up the matter. I addressed this at the last meeting we had here. I am very anxious that we proceed with the business of today, which is to move through and discuss and debate this legislation before us.