Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the proposals from the Irish Aviation Authority to close air traffic control towers at Shannon and Cork Airports from midnight until 6 a.m.; the number of jobs that would be lost were these proposals to be implemented; when a decision on this issue will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4768/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Aviation Authority has statutory responsibility for regulating the technical and safety aspects of civil aviation and for the provision of air traffic services. In 2004 the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, engaged independent consultants to carry out a strategic review of its operations in the areas of air traffic control and management systems covering the years 2005 to 2010. The review was conducted jointly by international consultants, Airways Corporation of New Zealand and Sofravia, a French company. It was prompted by a number of significant developments and considerations in the air traffic area, including likely changes arising from the implementation of the European Union's single sky proposals, the acquisition by the IAA of an additional block of airspace off the north-west coast to be controlled from Shannon and the completion of a major €115 million investment programme in new air traffic management systems and equipment. This investment included the construction and equipping of new air traffic control centres in Dublin and Shannon.

The consultants' report was presented to the board of the authority on 28 January 2005. Later that day the report, in full, was presented to the IAA management and to the IAA trade unions. Copies of the report were also forwarded to my Department. Since 28 January the IAA has engaged in a major consultation and communications exercise with its staff. I understand that, following this consultation with unions and staff and consideration by management over coming weeks, a plan of action will then be presented to the board for decision.

The IAA has indicated that the consultants' report is very positive, that there is no question of compulsory redundancies or compulsory transfers and, where there are implications for stakeholders, these implications will be discussed before implementation. The IAA has also indicated that any changes will be designed to deliver greater efficiencies in the provision of services while at the same time maintaining the highest level of safety.

My Department will discuss the report with IAA senior management shortly as part of ongoing business review meetings.