Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on recent proposals by the European Commission to temporarily freeze the EU's 80% requirement rules on the use of landing slots at EU airports in order for an airline to maintain the slots from season to season in view of the difficulties in the airline sector; if he or his Department have made a submission to the European Commission on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16195/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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Regulation (EC) No. 95/93, commonly referred to as the EU Slots Regulation, lays down rules for the allocation of take-off and landing 'slots' at airports in the Community where capacity is constrained. The Commission has adopted a legislative proposal to amend the EU Slots Regulation to suspend the 'use it or lose it' rule set out in the Regulation under which a carrier must use slots allocated to it for 80% of the time during the relevant season in order to be entitled to the same series of slots for the following season. The legislative proposal is subject to co-decision by the Council and the European Parliament is currently being discussed in both fora.

Following consultations with stakeholders in the aviation sector in Ireland, I consider that the adoption of the proposal would not be in the best interests of stakeholders in the aviation sector in Ireland. At Dublin Airport which is the only slot coordinated airport in the State, the proposal could increase the likelihood of some carriers withdrawing services for summer 2009 season as they would not face the consequences of losing the slots for summer 2010 season if they were not operated in summer 2009. The proposal could also negatively impact on Irish carriers growth plans, particular Ryanair and Aer Lingus services from bases outside of Ireland.

In the discussions to date on the proposal in the Council, Ireland has indicated that it is opposed in principle to the proposal on the basis that it could negatively impact on competition amongst carriers and on consumer choice and that it could also restrict the ability of airports to manage capacity in the most efficient manner.