Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 489: To ask the Minister for Transport if, in view of the constraints placed on Ireland as a result of the proposed EU-US bilateral agreement on aviation, he will commit to opening talks with Canada in order to achieve a more liberal regime prior to any EU move in this regard. [19256/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The existing Ireland-Canada air transport agreement is quite restrictive regarding the destinations both in Ireland and in Canada that can be served. The Canadian authorities have not been willing to revise the agreement to bring it more into line with Ireland's other agreements, unless the Shannon stop element was removed from it. However, my Department has agreed extra-bilateral arrangements with the Canadian authorities on a case-by-case basis to allow airlines to operate on routes between Canada and Ireland that are not included in the existing bilateral agreement, on the basis that they serve Shannon at least as often as they serve Dublin.

My Department will continue to take a pragmatic approach in the interest of facilitating air services between the two countries taking account of any regulatory developments that arise in the Ireland-US market. I understand the European Commission has no immediate plans to commence negotiations on an air service agreement with Canada.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 490: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will negotiate a phased withdrawal of the Shannon stopover under the bilateral agreements; and if Ireland has to await a new EU wide agreement with the US in order to gain greater access to American cities and [i]vice versa[/i]. [19257/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My officials have been maintaining contact with the US authorities, regarding issues surrounding the Ireland-US bilateral air transport agreement and the EU-US talks. As part of ongoing dialogue with the US on this issue, officials from my Department travelled to Washington to discuss the Ireland-US bilateral agreement on 6 April 2005, to explore what adjustments to the Ireland-US arrangements are possible. The meeting was technical and exploratory in nature, and no conclusions were reached at that meeting. Both sides agreed to keep in touch, and to continue to consider how those issues might be moved forward, having regard to the EU-US negotiations.

The recent Transport Council in Luxembourg on 21 April 2005 considered the issue of the EU-US negotiations. The Council authorised the Commission to prepare an outline of what it considers could be the elements of an overall EU-US deal. That outline will, I understand, be presented to the Council at its next meeting at the end of this month. Should the Council approve an outline deal, the Commission will seek to restart formal negotiations with the US, using that outline as a basis for negotiations. The negotiations would then focus on agreeing the necessary steps and stages to achieve the outline deal. Many uncertainties exist at this stage such as whether an outline deal can be agreed, whether the US will accept the outline deal if agreed in June, and how long it might take to negotiate all of the details of that deal.

I expect to have a clearer view as to how to proceed regarding Ireland-US Bilateral Agreement following the Transport Council, since the prospects for a re-engagement of the EU-US process will have a major bearing on the EU and US's attitude to amending the existing Ireland-US bilateral agreement.

Increased access to US destinations under an open skies agreement would provide significant benefits to Irish tourism, trade, economic growth and aviation. However, I am equally clear that Ireland must obtain the best possible transition for Shannon, to enable a smooth phasing in of open skies with the US in the future and I consider it appropriate for any changes that occur in this area to be on a phased basis over a number of years.