Vol. 418 No. 2
9 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if she will outline the investigations which have been held into the circumstances of the collision between two training aircraft in County Cork on 26 February 1992 in which two people died; if the flying school involved was fully licensed by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
14 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if she has satisfied herself, in the light of the recent plane crash in County Cork, that there are adequate safety precautions taken for light aircraft operations in the Cork city and county area; and whether she has any proposals to review same.
28 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if she has satisfied herself that an accident similar to the one which happened near Bandon recently, in which two training planes collided, is unlikely to happen over Bishopstown, Cork, which is overflown by so many training planes each week; and if she will outline the scrutiny that takes place by her Department on the movements and operations of these training schools.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 14 and 28 together. A detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the mid-air collision between two training aircraft in the Cork area in February last is being carried out by accident inspectors from the air navigation services office in my Department.
All personnel involved in offering flying training are required to hold the appropriate licences and be rated as flight instructors on such licences. Flying schools are not licensed per se. However, where I, as Minister, am satisfied that a particular school has the highest standards of proficiency as regards resources and infrastructure then I can grant an official approval to that school. The flying school whose aircraft were involved in the accident is working towards obtaining official approval.
I can assure the Deputy and the House that the operations of flying schools, whether approved or otherwise, together with their staffs and pupils, are continuously and closely monitored by the technical staff of my Department. Particular attention is also paid to the need to ensure that training aircraft avoid flying over built-up areas as far as possible.
Should the investigations to which I have referred reveal the need for any changes or improvements in any procedures or practices in these schools, or in the general conduct of light aircraft training, then I can assure the House that the necessary action will be promptly taken.
My Question No. 60 also refers to this issue.
We have not agreed to take Question No. 60.
I appreciate that; I was just making the point.
In so far as the Deputy's colleague, Deputy Allen, has two questions on this matter——
Question No. 9 is in the name of Deputy Sherlock.
Deputy Sherlock is not present in the House.
Deputy Byrne is representing Deputy Sherlock.
I am representing Deputy Allen.
I think two questions should take priority over one question.
It is a technical draw and the first question——
The Chair never neglects Deputy Byrne.
I thought those on the left had become more democratic.
A constituent of mine lost his life in this tragic accident. There have been two other accidents involving light aircraft. Is the Minister satisfied with the general safety procedures for such flights? Will he briefly outline those procedures to the House? Do they need to be improved in view of the recent loss of life in these accidents so as to ensure that planes do not come into contact with each other? This cannot happen in the case of commercial airlines because there is air traffic control.
As I have already said, the operation of flying schools is continuously monitored by my Department. Obviously I cannot comment further about this incident until the report is presented to me.
I think the Minister misunderstood my question. I did not ask him about the details of the accident. I said that this was the third accident involving light aricraft and asked him if he would carry out a general review of the safety procedures. One accident occurred in the Wicklow mountains while another occurred in Cork. In one instance, two aircraft flew into each other. This is unacceptable. I asked the Minister to outline briefly the current safety procedures and to say whether he had any proposals to improve or review them.
Safety procedures are monitored on a regular basis. If the report of the investigation says there is a need for the procedures to be changed then that will be done.
I am not happy with the Minister's reply. It is similar to the reply given by a spokesperson for the Minister in a newspaper article. When asked whether the training school was licensed the spokesperson replied: "It would be unfair to say the school was unapproved. It was not fully approved. There are aspects which are acceptable to the Department but there are some aspects that are not". Do these training schools have to abide by specific rules and regulations and work to certain guidelines?
Is the Minister aware that the company whose employees lost their lives in Cork lost an instructor and student pilot in similar circumstances when the company were located in Ashbourne? The company moved to Cork because of the congested airways over Dublin airport. Will the Minister give an assurance to the House that he will sharpen the procedures followed by these flying schools? Will he give a guarantee that flying schools will not be allowed to overfly urban and built-up areas?
I must emphasise that there is absolutely no question whatsoever of a flying school being unapproved. All personnel involved in the provision of flight training are required to have the appropriate licences and to be rated for flight instruction purposes. I can assure the Deputy that the personnel involved in this accident were licensed and rated as required. The Deputy said that this accident was similar to a previous accident. This pre-empts the outcome of the investigation which is currently being carried out. I will have to await the outcome of the investigation before I can comment on this accident.
Will the report to which the Minister referred be published? He said that safety procedures would be reviewed but he cannot comment on what Deputy Byrne alleged.
When the report is prepared it will be a matter for the Minister to decide whether it will be published. However, I am sure she will give sympathetic consideration to making it available to the next of kin or the representatives.
The Minister has replied and we will move on to Question No. 10.
As the Minister is in the House, perhaps the Minister of State should ask her.
This is not the appropriate time to do that.
