Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Transport if he is confident that changes will be made to the existing open skies agreement with the US in time for the summer 2007 season to allow Aer Lingus fly to more destinations in the US. [9049/07]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Following recent intensive negotiations at EU US level, significant progress has been made in reaching a draft Open Skies Agreement. The draft text of the Agreement will be presented to the Transport Council for endorsement on 22 March 2007. If approved by Council, and by the US Administration, the Agreement could be signed at the EU-US Summit on 30 April 2007.

It was confirmed that approval of the Agreement by the Council of Ministers would enable its transitional provisions relating to Ireland to apply with immediate effect. Under the transitional provisions, Aer Lingus would be entitled to apply for traffic rights to operate services to three additional points in the US. The timing of the commencement of any new approved services would be a commercial decision for the Company.