Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Apr 1996

Vol. 464 No. 3

Written Answers. - Transatlantic Tourism.

Desmond J. O'Malley

Ceist:

30 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he will report on discussions he has had on the need for improved access from the United States of America to west of Ireland holiday destinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7496/96]

Robert Molloy

Ceist:

145 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the current progress in achieving his objective of encouraging further improvement in and liberalisation of or access to transport arrangements, particularly those relating to aviation on the transatlantic corridor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7476/96]

Robert Molloy

Ceist:

146 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications whether he has received the final report of the steering group on Ireland-United States access issues; the plans, if any, he has to publish this report; the action, if any, he proposes to take on the recommendations contained in this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8124/96]

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Lowry)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 145 and 146 together.

In my reply to a question by Deputy O'Malley on 31 January last on US-Ireland access issues, I outlined the relevant details of the air transport access provisions of the Ireland-US Air Transport Agreement. There have been no changes to this agreement in the interim period.

I have not yet received the final report of the steering group looking at Ireland-US access issues. In my reply to the Deputy on 5 March last, I indicated that a preliminary report had been received from Aer Rianta and Bord Fáilte and that this was under review having regard to the announcement by Aer Lingus and Delta of their new code-sharing proposal and by World Airways of its new scheduled services to Ireland commencing in June 1996 and its code-sharing arrangement with Continental Airlines. I am pleased to advise that the Aer Lingus-Delta and the World-Continental arrangement were approved recently by the US Department of Transportation. These positive developments along with the new Aer Lingus service from Chicago will result in a substantial increase in capacity on US-Ireland routes this year. This is likely to be in the order of 16-17 per cent.

In the meantime Aer Rianta and Bord Fáilte have had detailed discussions with both Aer Lingus and Delta about their future plans. This information together with the inauguration by World-Continental of new weekly services from the US West Coast i.e. Los Angeles as well as from Newark, is now being taken on board in the completion of the report which will,inter alia, outline prospects for increasing existing services and for delivering new services from new points in 1997 and 1998 in particular. Follow up action either by State agencies or by my Department will be decided once the recommendations and prospects have been examined. I have no plans to publish the report which may well contain confidential and sensitive marketing information.

However, I hope to be in a position to advise on the broad recommendations subject to any commercial sensitivities that might be involved. I should, however, like to advise that having regard to the fluid nature of the aviation world, the situation must remain under ongoing review.

In relation to the specific question of improved access to the west of Ireland from the US, I should point out that under existing policy on transatlantic scheduled services enshrined in the bilateral arrangements, there are no restrictions on US airlines operating services either scheduled or charter, from any point in the US to Shannon. In addition, US airlines may operate any number of direct non-stop charter services from any point in the US to Knock International Airport. Similarly Irish airlines can operate an unlimited number of charter services to Shannon and Knock from any US point and unlimited scheduled services to Shannon from four US points, i.e. New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Furthermore, if an Irish or US airline wishes to operate services to-from Dublin then an equivalent US service must be operated to-from Shannon. This policy has clear benefits for the west of Ireland in that it ensures that any growth in US-Ireland air services will lead to growth in services to Shannon. Of course, the question of whether any airline inaugurates a particular service is purely a commercial decision for that airline.