Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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23. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans to ensure that a company (details supplied) is able to secure a permit from the US Department of Transportation to fly from Cork to Boston; when he expects this issue to be resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32777/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I and my Department have raised the ongoing dispute regarding Norwegian Air International's (NAI) application for a foreign air carrier permit with the US Department of Transportation on a number of occasions, urging them to make a positive decision on the application, in accordance with the provisions of the EU-US Open Skies Agreement.

As I have stated previously, I fully support the proposed Cork to Boston route which would benefit the region greatly, and I had hoped that this issue would be resolved in a timely and positive manner. The failure by the US authorities to make a decision on NAI's permit application is not acceptable and no decision appears to be forthcoming.

In July it was decided by the EU Commission to initiate arbitration on the matter pursuant to Article 19 of the EU-US Air Transport Agreement.  I fully support this decision by the Commission to initiate arbitration procedures on the matter. The US authorities have been notified that internal arbitration procedures have been initiated. However, a final decision on when the formal arbitration procedure will be launched has yet to be determined.

In the meantime, should the US authorities grant NAI its permit and allow the airline to operate the proposed route between Cork and Boston, the issue could immediately be resolved. To this end, on 2 August last I wrote to the US Secretary of Transportation, Anthony Foxx, reiterating the Irish Government's support for NAI and urging him to bring this subject to a close and make a positive decision on NAI's application.

The Irish Embassy in the United Stated has been very active to date on this issue. I will be meeting with the Irish Ambassador to the United States in the next week and will again raise this with her.