Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 418: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has satisfied himself that the Irish Aviation Authority has the resources to provide sufficient oversight of Irish airlines in view of the increased air traffic and of the planned future further increases, particularly in view of remarks by the Irish Airline Pilots' Association regarding the eroding of safety margins. [2923/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Aviation Authority was established under the Irish Aviation Act 1993 and given responsibility for the safety regulation of the Irish aviation industry and the provision of air traffic management services in Irish airspace. The authority exercises its safety regulation functions and service provision functions in accordance with the norms of international standards and procedures, both European, that is, European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, Joint Aviation Authorities, JAA, Eurocontrol, and global, the International Civil Aviation Authority, ICAA. It is, furthermore, the competent authority for purposes of the EU EASA regulations.

The question of resources within the authority is entirely a matter for the board. The authority has advised me that its workforce in the safety regulation area has been recently reinforced in the operations and airworthiness areas to take account of growth in the aviation industry.

My responsibility in the safety functions of the authority arises under section 32 of the 1993 Act, which requires me, periodically, to commission an examination of the performance by the company of its functions in so far as they relate to the application and enforcement of technical and safety standards in aircraft and air navigation. The most recent examination took place in 2004 and concluded that there is a general, positive and pro-active attitude and competence vis-À-vis safety and the maintenance of a high safety level.

The authority is also periodically subject to external review by EASA, JAA and other agencies such as ICAO and Eurocontrol. I understand that these reviews concluded that the Irish Aviation Authority is performing its functions satisfactorily and is appropriately resourced for its task.