Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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511. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the contacts he has had with his European Union colleagues in relation to the single European sky initiative; if he has taken into consideration the position paper and questionnaire (details supplied) from the European Union parliamentary rapporteur, single European sky; and when he may issue a response. [18024/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The position paper and questionnaire referred to by the Deputy has been circulated on behalf of the Dutch House of Representatives.  I consider that national parliamentary initiatives of this nature can most appropriately be progressed in the Member State concerned in the first instance and subsequently, as necessary, in the institutions of the European Union.

It is important to emphasise that, in line with the agreed institutional arrangements for the European Union, discussions between Member State Governments on particular policy issues such as the Single European Sky are held in the formation of the Council of Transport Ministers of the EU. The Council works closely with the European Parliament through the appropriate channels for coordination.  In these circumstances, it is not proposed to issue a response to this questionnaire at this time.

While I have not yet had an opportunity to discuss this initiative with my European Union counterparts at Transport Council, officials from my Department are engaged in Single European Sky (SES) 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.

As previously advised to the House, Ireland has consistently given its full support to the Single European Sky initiative since its launch in 2004 and that policy position remains.