The regulation of flight time limitations is an operational matter for the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). I am advised by the IAA that they rigorously enforce the relevant regulations through ongoing surveillance of Irish airlines. The IAA conducts a series of audits on flight time limitations in all Irish airlines to ensure compliance with current regulations and approved flight time limitations schemes (typically every six months). I understand that in 2005 in excess of 3,500 individual records were examined on this topic alone.
The IAA is subject to routine audits by the International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO), the Joint Aviation Authority (JAA), the Department of Transport and IAA internal audits which verify IAA effectiveness in this regard.