I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 65 together.
At the Transport Council meeting on 6 December last, I again made my case to the Commission about the need for an expansion of the horizontal four-day compensation measure for EU airlines as a result of the events of 11 September 2001.
I stated that I was very satisfied that the airline industry had responded to an exceptional situation quickly and appropriately by taking painful and often drastic measures to respond to market conditions. However, the scale and exceptional nature of the crisis also demanded a measured but adequate response from the Commission and from member states.
I pointed out again that the four-day compensation measure agreed at the Transport Council on 16 October was minimalist and inadequate having regard to the scale of the crisis and the US emergency aid package. I repeated that we must not allow terrorism to damage our industry and that these dreadful circumstances should not be used by anybody pursuing a consolidation agenda to fast-track their aims. I stated that Ireland had already notified the Commission of the details of our scheme for the payment of the four-day compensation to Irish airlines. A number of claims have been received from Irish airlines and payment has already been made to Aer Lingus. Payment will also issue to another Irish airline this week.