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

To reiterate, Ireland’s compliance with ICAO is subject to continual monitoring approaches and oversight systems. They are in place. This is a continuous process, as I said. In addition, as part of this Bill, there will be a requirement for the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, to prepare and submit to the Minister, by 30 April every year, a safety aviation performance statement. Section 67(3) requires that statement to include details of the activities carried out during the relevant year and the outcome and follow-up from external oversight in that universal safety oversight audit programme of ICAO. There are assurances there on ensuring oversight is in place.

They are the positions; they are the facts about Ireland’s position on the ICAO league table. The importance of this Bill, yet again, is to ensure that we continue to maintain and strive to improve our standards. That is why it is so important that we progress with this Bill, which is seen as best practice.