Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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541. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his position on the Single European Sky (SES) initiative at the European Union; the level of engagement he has had with European officials and industry stakeholders on this issue; his views on the obstacles to the creation of a Single European Sky; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16989/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The Single European Sky (SES) is a policy initiative agreed in 2004 with the central objective of reforming and improving the performance of air traffic management in Europe.  This objective continues to be valid and I accordingly fully support the SES initiative.

While I have not yet had an opportunity to discuss this initiative with my European Union counterparts at Transport Council, or to engage with industry stakeholders, officials from my Department are engaged in SES-related discussions on an ongoing basis at EU level. These discussions are aimed at progressing various technical elements of the SES and are delivering positive results.

Insofar as obstacles to the creation of a Single European Sky are concerned, I do not believe that there is a particular obstacle per se. The SES is a highly complex project that will take time to fully deliver. It is important to emphasise that considerable progress has already been achieved over the past decade or so, particularly in relation to the establishment of Functional Airspace Blocks and also the agreement reached between all Member States on the development  of a performance scheme. This multi-annual scheme  requires the achievement of demanding performance targets in relation to safety, capacity, environment and cost efficiency, which are delivering improvements. While further steps clearly need to be taken to overcome the inefficiencies associated with fragmented European airspace, I believe that with persistence and commitment by all parties the key goals of the Single European Sky will be progressively achieved over the coming years.