asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state with reference to the court of investigation set up to deal with the accident to a super-constellation plane at Shannon in September, 1954 (1) the number of days on which the court sat, and the total cost of the investigation, and (2) the names and status of those engaged in the investigation, and the remuneration paid in each case.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Plane Crash Inquiry.
The court sat in public on 28 days; there were also some sittings in private.
The total extra expenditure charged to the Vote for Aviation and Meteorological Services arising out of the accident was £14,451 4s. 6d. This sum does not include the salaries of officers who were employed on the investigation as part of their ordinary work.
The court consisted of Mr. Justice Teevan, a judge of the High Court, who acted as chairman and Messrs. E.V.P. Miller, Divisional Air Traffic Control Officer, British Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, G. K. Edward, Assistant Director Flight Operations, Trans-Canada Airlines, A.J. Marx, Chief Aeronautical Engineer, Netherlands National Aeronautical Research Institute, and Commandant A. O'Shea, Assistant Aeronautical Engineer, Irish Air Corps, who acted as assessors.
Mr. Justice Teevan and Commandant O'Shea did not receive any remuneration for their services. The British authorities were recouped £333 8s. 11d. in respect of Mr. Miller's salary; Trans-Canada Airlines were recouped £257 0s. 2d. in respect of Mr. Edward's travelling and subsistence expenses; and the Netherlands authorities were recouped £282 13s. 10d. in respect of Mr. Marx's travelling expenses and fees.
Counsel paid out of public funds and the amounts paid were as follows:— Mr. S. MacBride, senior counsel (£1,355 11s.) and Mr. D. Sheehy, junior counsel (£916 13s.) representing the Attorney-General; Mr. T.K. Liston, senior counsel (£1,330 7s.) and Mr. W. Finlay, junior counsel (£844 4s.) representing the Minister for Industry and Commerce; Mr. J. McMahon, senior counsel (£1,327 4s.) and Mr. T. Neylon, junior counsel (£894 12s.) representing air traffic control officers. Mr. P.F. O'Reilly, solicitor for the Minister, was paid £755 3s. 2d. and the registrar to the court received an honorarium of £100.