The Irish Aviation Authority provides air traffic control and communications services to aircraft which pass through Irish controlled airspace, en route, and aircraft landing and taking off from Irish Airports. I should explain that the Irish Aviation Authority controls some 100,000 sq miles of international airspace in addition to domestic airspace.
According to the Irish Aviation Authority, a total of 465,204 en route civil and 6,895 en route military aircraft flights flew through total Irish controlled airspace in 2001. The figures for 2002 were 450,022 civil flights and 8,716 military flights. The only figures available in respect of 2003 are January and February with 66,715 civil and 1,919 military. It should be pointed out that a much smaller proportion of military en route flights fly through domestic airspace with the permission of the Minister for Foreign Affairs while a smaller proportion again land at Irish airports.
The total revenue raised by the IAA in respect of en route, terminal and communications charges to civil flights in total Irish controlled airspace was €77.3 million in 2001, €84.0 million in 2002 and €13.8 million in respect of January and February 2003.