asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether his Department can grant a permit for scheduled air services from Cork to Great Britain without getting authorisation from some other body, company, authority and/or organisation; and, if not, if he will state the names and addresses of the body, company, organisation and/or authority concerned and the amount of Irish and non-Irish funds provided for them, their standing and the demands likely to be made by them before allowing a Cork air service to operate.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Air Service from Cork.
The operation of scheduled air services between this country and Britain is governed by an agreement, dated April 5th, 1946, between the Irish Government and the British Government. The agreement and the annex to it provide that, in the interests of efficiency and of economy of operation, the scheduled air services between the two countries shall, except when otherwise agreed between the two Governments, be operated exclusively by Aer Lingus. The agreement also provides that any modification of the annex must be the subject of consultation and agreement between the aeronautical authorities of both countries before effect can be given to a modification.
The annex would have to be modified before Aer Lingus or any other company could be permitted to operate scheduled services between Cork and Britain, and consequently the concurrence of the British Government would have to be secured before such services could be permitted. The last part of the question does not arise.
As I have already informed the Deputy in reply to previous questions, the matter of the operation of scheduled air services to and from Cork is being examined as a preliminary to its consideration by the Government.
Will the Minister say if the obstacles which are being placed in the way of the operation of scheduled air services from Cork are due to influence from external sources?
No. The matter has not been discussed with the British Government.