asked the Minister for Transport the action he proposes to take within the context of the European Community to co-ordinate and improve the present system of air traffic control within the jurisdiction of the Community, including the proposed three new member states with a view to improving efficiency in air traffic movement with consequent reduction in air flight costs and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Air Traffic Control
9.
In addition to the EEC this problem is receiving attention at international level within ICAO ( International Civil Aviation Organisation), ECAC (the European Civil Aviation Conference), and Eurocontrol. The European Parliament adopted in 1979 a resolution on the promotion of an efficient European air traffic management and control system.
The Deputy can take it that my Department fully participates in the work of the international bodies concerned in efforts to develop an improved European air traffic system.
What steps has the Minister taken since coming to office as Minister for Transport to speed up and enlarge discussions that had taken place in this complex area?
I am meeting with my opposite number in Germany next month to discuss the possibility of setting up a supra-national air control space centre.
Is this in addition to Eurocontrol, parallel to it or will Eurocontrol be dropped?
It is in association with the resolution adopted by the European Parliament where they feel that this problem should be looked at on a supra-national basis. I cannot say about Eurocontrol because I do not have that information with me.
Does the Minister mean that the European Economic Community will control their own air space to the exclusion of countries that are not members of the Community? Eurocontrol at the moment control some of the countries in the EEC plus some outside. Will the EEC take over the control of all their air space?
This is only a discussion on the resolution adopted by the European Parliament.
Question No. 11.
If the Minister is meeting his opposite member in Germany they must have some objective in view. The Minister referred to a supra-national air space control, what does that mean?
That is one of the suggestions put forward in the resolution of the European Parliament and it is only one of the items on the agenda for discussion.
What do those words mean?
It means a supra-national power. That may never be reached; it is only at discussion stage.
Question No. 11.
Does the Minister mean that one power is more important than another or are a number of powers engaged——
I have called No. 11. We have been on this for the last five minutes.
The Minister has put on the record something that I do not understand and I am not sure if anybody else understands it. Does the Minister mean——
We cannot spend all day on it.
——a number of other nations and if so what nations? If Eurocontrol is to be dismantled as a result of this we should know, because Eurocontrol has been an extremely valuable organisation.
We are having argument now.
I have not said that Eurocontrol will be dismantled.
If something else is being set up——
I have called No. 11.
(Interruptions.)
Minister and Deputies, I have called Question No. 11.
(Interruptions.)
Have we finished with question No. 10?
Yes, about five minutes ago. We are going back and forward. Question No. 11.
Could I ask the Tánaiste——
I do not understand what is being discussed and I give notice that I would like to raise this on the adjournment.
(Interruptions.)
Deputies, please, I have called No. 11.
(Interruptions.)
The Chair has called No. 11. Surely Deputy Barry should let up.
On a point of order, am I correct in recalling that when question No. 10 was asked, immediately the answer was given we were referred back to question No. 9 so there was no chance to ask a supplementary?
Nobody raised any supplementary on it but if Deputy Kelly wishes to raise a supplementary I will allow him.
Does the Tánaiste consider that the shape of Strangford Lough and the fall of the tide there makes it the most suitable place in the country for the exploitation of tidal energy, and whether this might be a scene in which he could invite consideration of a cross-Border project for the generation of electricity which would serve both jurisdictions?
Unfortunately there are no sites in this country, North or South, which are really suitable for the generation of electricity by tidal power. Some are more suitable than others and the one mentioned by the Deputy is one of the more suitable ones. I would not like the House to think that I am suggesting that any of them is really suitable. Further work is going ahead because I want to ensure that we are not leaving any stone unturned in this regard. If it proved to be feasible, I would bear what the Deputy said in mind. At present there are more fruitful areas of co-operation in the energy field possibly between North and South to the great advantage of both North and South and they are being frustrated by a handful of people whose motivation escapes me.
Deputies
Hear, hear.
It is quite clear, for instance, that the North could sell us electricity and we could contemplate selling natural gas to the North to our mutual benefit but that does not appear to be a possibility at the moment.
That is a whole new field.
I am sorry about that but I thought I might mention it.
The House fully agrees with what the Minister said.
Everybody does.
Is there a point at which it is possible that some of the inlets in Ireland would be economic for the production of electricity by tidal means? Does the Minister think it is possible that they will all be ruled out no matter what the price of oil is?
We will not know until some more experimental work has been done whether there is anything more than a marginal possibility involved. I would remind Deputies that I am talking about tidal power. Wave power on the other hand has enormous potential for us. We are involved in research in that field and we are joining in international research in Japan and in Britain in regard to wave power. The technical problems are considerable but great progress has been made. If I had to choose in this area I would concentrate on wave power rather than on tidal power.
Question No. 11.
I would ask the Minister not to forget that work is also being done in the university in Cork.
I am aware of that too.