Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2024
184. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport how often and who provides disability awareness and access training to staff of the Irish Aviation Authority, the Dublin Airport Authority and the other major Irish airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22477/24]
View answer185. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport how Irish airports are referring in European or international benchmarks when it comes to supporting people with disabilities or reduced mobility travelling through Irish airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22478/24]
View answer187. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport what efforts have been made in each of the Irish airports to improve wayfinding and mobility for people with disabilities and people with reduced mobility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22480/24]
View answer190. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Transport the role of the Irish Aviation Authority in supporting people with disabilities and people with reduced mobility travelling through Irish airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22590/24]
View answer191. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Transport to provide a breakdown, by year and by Irish airport, for the past five years, of the total number of people with disabilities or reduced mobility travelling through Irish airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22591/24]
View answer192. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Transport to provide a breakdown of the total number of complaints and the nature of those complaints received by Irish airports over the past five years from people with disabilities and reduced mobility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22592/24]
View answer193. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Transport who funds and has oversight for the One Complete Solution service which provides passenger assistance to people with disabilities and reduced mobility at Irish airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22593/24]
View answer199. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Transport the total funds raised through the persons with reduced mobility charge in the past five years, broken down by year and, by Irish airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22656/24]
View answer200. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Transport the breakdown of how the monies raised through the persons with reduced mobility charge have been spent over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22657/24]
View answer201. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Transport if all the monies raised through the persons with reduced mobility charge are spent on the provision of services and supports for people with reduced mobility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22658/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 184, 185, 187, 190 to 193, inclusive, and 199 to 201, inclusive, together.
Irish Airports must comply with European Union Regulation (EC) 1107/2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air (“Regulation 1107”). The objective of this Regulation is to ensure “high and equivalent levels of protection and assistance throughout the Member States and to ensure that economic agents operate under harmonised conditions in a single market.” The Irish Aviation Authority ("IAA") is the National Enforcement Body for Regulation 1107.
In relation to the issues raised by the Deputies I am informed by the IAA that the position is as follows.
As part of the IAA’s enforcement framework, its Consumer Affairs team conducts inspections of Irish airports to determine compliance with Regulation 1107. Reports on inspections conducted are published by the IAA on its website, www.iaa.ie.
Article 9 of Regulation 1107 requires all Irish airports with annual traffic exceeding 150,000 commercial passenger movements to set quality standards for the assistance they provide. All airports must publish these quality standards. The IAA, as part of its inspection framework, has reviewed the quality standards published by the airports and can confirm that these documents are all published on the website of the airport concerned.
The IAA also investigates complaints from the public regarding the assistance provided by Irish airports. If the complaint falls within the IAA’s statutory remit, the IAA will investigate the issues presented by the passenger. The IAA will then engage on the passenger’s behalf with the airport or the airline involved to understand the circumstances of the complaint. Depending on the issues presented by the complaint, the IAA will determine the best remedies for the complaint within its statutory remit. The IAA cannot recommend compensation be paid to passengers for issues related to assistance. Refunds may only be requested for damaged or lost mobility equipment. The IAA investigated 21 complaints in 2023. Complaints, inspections, public queries and the Passenger Advisory Group all help inform policy initiatives for the IAA to assist persons with reduced mobility and persons with disabilities.
In respect of the provision of training, the Consumer Affairs team in the IAA has ongoing training in disability awareness and disability equality. The IAA also benefits from membership of European facilitation groups, European Commission Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) subgroups and training provided by European Civil Aviation Conference. The IAA, as part of its inspection process, assesses Irish airports’ compliance with Article 11 of Regulation 1107, which requires air carriers and airports to ensure their personnel are trained in providing assistance to persons with disabilities or reduced mobility.
In respect of the financing of assistance services, Regulation 1107 provides these can be financed by way of a levy “in such a way as to spread the burden equitably among all passengers using an airport and to avoid disincentives to the carriage of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility. A charge levied on each air carrier using an airport, proportionate to the number of passengers it carries to or from the airport, appears to be the most effective way of funding”.
In Dublin Airport, a levy of €0.74 per passenger applies, which is collected, by daa, through the airlines. The IAA ensures this levy is set in a transparent way, and that it reflects the costs of providing the service. In addition, as part its price cap regulation of Dublin Airport, the IAA sets various quality of service targets which have associated penalties and bonuses. Included in that suite of measures are measures and targets in relation to the provision of service to passengers with reduced mobility and the general satisfaction of those departing using assistance services. There are objective measures set based on the length of time passengers are waiting for assistance and subjective survey-based measures which relate to satisfaction with the additional assistance. These measures also observe the satisfaction with airport facilities (e.g. toilet facilities) provided for passengers who require additional assistance.
In respect of the outsourcing of assistance services, Article 8 of Regulation 1107 provides that the airport management body may provide assistance for passengers with reduced mobility itself. Alternatively, the Regulation also stipulates that the airport management body can contract “one or more other parties for the supply of the assistance.” Airport operators must ensure that the provision of services to passengers with reduced mobility meet the standards required under Regulation 1107. This responsibility lies with the airport management body irrespective of whether it provides the services itself or outsources it to a third party. The IAA has oversight of airport management bodies in this regard, as set out above.
In relation to the questions concerning training, wayfinding, passenger numbers, complaints and the outsourcing of assistance services, insofar as they relate to the State airports, these are operational matters for these airports. I have therefore forwarded your question to the Shannon Airport Group and to daa (who has statutory responsibility for the management and operation of Dublin and Cork Airports) for direct reply. If a response is not received within ten days, please contact my private office.
