Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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623. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn by the Irish Aviation Authority to an airline's application (details supplied) for an Irish air operator certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6794/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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In order for an Irish airline to be involved in commercial air transport it must be the holder of a valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC) issued by the Irish Aviation Authority and a valid Air Carrier Operating Licence (ACOL) issued by the Commission for Aviation Regulation. These are both issued on the basis of EU aviation law, under which any European operator has the right to apply to be licensed in any Member State or several member States if it so wishes.

To obtain an AOC and ACOL an operator must complete a thorough process to satisfy the authorities that the operator is competent to secure the safe operation of aircraft.  An AOC is issued by the Irish Aviation Authority when the aircraft operator meets a number of requirements, which includes a comprehensive check of their safety standards.

An ACOL is issued by the Commission for Aviation Regulation to aircraft operators who have their principal place of business in Ireland and when they meet a number of other requirements, such as obtaining the above mentioned AOC from the IAA, satisfactory insurance cover and financial fitness. The IAA and CAR liaise closely in relation to any such applications.

On 1 February last SAS announced its intention to apply for an Irish AOC. I am informed that the IAA and CAR have met with representatives of the company and that any application is likely to take several months to process.