Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1323. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has met with the Dublin Airport Authority to discuss Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19550/17]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1324. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department is putting in place contingency plans to deal with the potential impacts of Brexit on the aviation industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19551/17]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1325. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the implications for Ireland of the UK leaving the single aviation market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19552/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1323 to 1325, inclusive, together.

Issues arising as a result of the UK's plans to leave the EU are being managed on a whole-of-government basis, with overall responsibility resting with the Department of An Taoiseach. My Department is represented on the Economy and Trade Group and also on the Aviation and related Tourism sub-groups under these structures. Officials of my Department are in close liaison with the aviation sector, including airlines and airports, to assess the implications of Brexit on that sector.

Airlines and airports, including the daa, among other aviation stakeholders, as well as my Department are represented on the National Civil Aviation Development Forum Working Group on Regulatory Affairs. This Group has extensively considered the aviation implications of Brexit and has met with the Department's representative on the Interdepartmental Group of Senior Officials to discuss the concerns of the aviation industry. Representatives of the Group have also met with senior officials in the Department of the Taoiseach in relation to those concerns. The outcome of these consultations informs the analyses of the Department and feeds into the overall analyses of Government.

I have had a number of interactions with the Chair of daa on a range of matters relevant to the Company. However, I have not met with daa to discuss Brexit specifically.  

Aviation services between the UK and Ireland and within the EU operate within the EU Single Aviation Market. In order to maintain liberal access from the UK to Ireland and the rest of the EU, a new aviation agreement between the UK and the remaining 27 EU Member States will be required. In the absence of such a replacement aviation transport agreement, existing traffic rights could be negatively impacted, including the rights of Irish licensed airlines to fly between the UK and Ireland, the UK and the rest of the EU, within the UK, and between the UK and a range of other third countries.

The full implications for Ireland of the UK leaving the single aviation market will only become clear once formal Brexit negotiations commence. The Government will continue to plan for and mitigate the associated risks of Brexit throughout the EU/UK withdrawal process.