asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will give details of the present arrangements between Irish air traffic control and Eurocontrol.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Air Traffic Control.
7.
The control of air traffic flying in Irish air space at or above 25,000 feet approximately is now the responsibility of Eurocontrol. Under agreement between my Department and Eurocontrol, and pending other arrangements, the traffic control is exercised by staff of my Department on behalf of Eurocontrol.
8.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power (a) the number of Irish air traffic control personnel who have been sent abroad for training courses, (b) the nature and location of the courses and (c) the cost of the courses.
In recent years, eight officers of the air traffic control service attended Eurocontrol simulation exercises at the air traffic experimental centres at Hurn, England, and at Bretigny, Paris. The total cost was approximately £2,000. These were not training courses but did provide valuable experience for the officers concerned.
9.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power the height and range of air space controlled by air traffic control (a) at Shannon and (b) at Dublin.
(a) Shannon:— Height: Up to 46,000 feet. Range: 360 nautical miles approximately in east/ west direction; 225 nautical miles approximately in north/south direction. (b) Dublin:— Height: Up to 24,000 feet. Range: 50 nautical miles approximately in east/west direction; 95 nautical miles approximately in north/ south direction.
10.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether British air traffic control has total control over any Irish air space; and, if so, if he will give details and reasons.
By agreement between Eurocontrol, the United Kingdom and this country air traffic control from 10,000 feet up in a sector of Irish airspace which includes County Donegal is exercised on behalf of this country and Eurocontrol by the British air traffic control service. This sector of Irish airspace extends like a peninsula into British controlled airspace and it would be inconvenient and unsafe to require overflying aircraft to switch from British to Irish communication frequencies for the few minutes required to pass through it. For similar operational reasons Irish air traffic control extends into a sector of British air space due east of Dublin.
The arrangement can be modified or cancelled at my discretion. It does not extend to military air traffic.
11.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power the cost of establishing the air traffic control training school at Shannon; and the date on which it was established.
13.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power what items of radar training equipment are available at Dublin and not at Shannon.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 13 together.
The air traffic control training school at Shannon was established in 1964 at a cost of £40,000 which represented principally the cost of a radar simulator.
It was found necessary recently to transfer the school from Shannon for the following reasons. Aircraft movements which can be used for radar training purposes are more conveniently available at Dublin Airport. Army Air Corps aircraft for special training flights can be made available more economically and conveniently there. Civil aircraft are available to a greater extent over the daylight hours and can and do, with the pilots' co-operation, participate to a greater extent in practice radar approaches.
A further reason is the increase in the number of training movements at Shannon which are now a substantial source of revenue but which cannot be used for radar training purposes because of the nature of the movements. In these circumstances it had been found necessary, to a growing extent, to send Shannon ATC personnel on courses to Dublin Airport for radar training.
The radar simulator provided for the school will be removed from Shannon to Dublin Airport.
Would the Minister be prepared to look into the whole question of future training facilities for air traffic control in view of the fact that the range and area covered by Shannon Control is far greater than the range and area covered by Dublin? It follows from that that the range of training facilities is also much wider and everything points to the fact that Shannon should be the air traffic control training centre. Would the Minister care to look into this whole matter?
I am seeing a deputation from Shannon Airport on the matter. The fact is Army aircraft are available in Dublin. Shannon is actually too busy and the business they do, through night flights in particular, is not suitable for training purposes. Facilities in Dublin are more suitable for training purposes. However, as I say, I am meeting a deputation about this.
12.
asked the Minister for Transport and Power (a) the total number of air traffic control personnel from Shannon transferred to Dublin over the past 12 months for training and/or refresher courses, (b) the average duration of each course and (c) the average cost per trainee.
The information requested is as follows: (a) 30, (b) 4 weeks, (c) £60.