Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I do many things but to repeat the same advice would be futile. The advice is very clear. One of the problems we have in dealing with this issue is that nobody in this room is an expert. The only expertise that has been involved in the drafting of this Bill is from the very people the Bill is designed to regulate. Four people lost their lives because of poor regulation, lack of oversight and reckless behaviour. That is the only way it can be described. In light of the legal advice we have received, neither House, at this stage, has had the technical expertise to inform it as to the right way to go with this Bill. I should invoke Standing Order 70, today, to seek a select committee of this House to be established to bring in the expertise to explain to us. We are, after all, none of us aviators. None of us is an expert in this area. The Minister of State is not an expert in this area. It is unfair to see this continually drag on the way it has. The way to resolve this problem is to bring in independent experts. We have all been approached by members of the Irish Air Line Pilots Association, IALPA, which is not independent in this case. When I say independent, I mean independent international experts who will explain to us that this meets the requirements of International Air Transport Association, IATA. If that is the case, let us rock on with the Bill. However, right now, I wish to have it on the record that I am deeply uncomfortable with this Bill. I have made that point since it first came before the House.