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

As regards amendment No. 15, there is nothing in section 76 precluding the IAA from establishing subgroups of the aviation stakeholders forum to address specific issues and involving specific stakeholders. Indeed, the IAA is looking at the models of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, stakeholder advisory board and the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, panel structure in terms of development of the forum and subgroups. The purpose of the licenceholders' charter is for the IAA regulator to set out the standards of engagement it will undertake with licenceholders. Section 76 foresees the IAA developing the licenceholders' charter and consulting on it with the forum. Amendment No. 15 sees a subgroup of licenceholders developing the licenceholders' charter and subsequently submitting it to the IAA and the Minister. In my view, this upends the relationship between the regulator and the regulated and, by including the Minister, interferes with the independence of the IAA. The fundamental point we all want to achieve is that a forum is established that provides for the voices of relevant stakeholders, including licenceholders, to be heard, and that these voices contribute to the development of the charter. As such, I do not propose to accept the amendment.