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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 6

Written Answers. - Air Services.

Noel O'Flynn

Ceist:

107 Mr. O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the plans, if any, she has to improve competition and reduce fares on the Dublin to Cork air route. [8832/99]

Under the EU air transport liberalisation measures it is open to any air carrier licensed by a European Economic Area member state, 15 EU states and Norway and Iceland, to introduce services between EEA member states. With the completion, in April 1997, of the Single European Market in air transport, the introduction of services by airlines, the capacity to be provided and the fares to be charged are matters for the commercial judgment of the carriers concerned and there are no longer any Government controls.

Having said that, it will continue to be my policy to encourage as many air services as possible in both domestic and international markets.

Noel O'Flynn

Ceist:

108 Mr. O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will instruct the Irish Aviation Authority to limit the amount of alcohol per passenger served gratis or sold for consumption on board a passenger aircraft. [8833/99]

Noel O'Flynn

Ceist:

109 Mr. O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will instruct the Irish Aviation Authority to require all airlines operating to and from Ireland to refrain from recirculating cabin air in order to reduce the exposure of airline passengers to communicable diseases. [8834/99]

Noel O'Flynn

Ceist:

110 Mr. O'Flynn asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the United States Federal Aviation Authority and the British Civil Aviation Authority are directing airlines to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide permitted on board passenger aircraft, by 5/6th in the case of the British authority, in order to reduce incidents of air rage; and the plans, if any, she has to instruct the Irish Aviation Authority to take similar action. [8835/99]

I propose to answer Questions Nos. 108, 109 and 110 together.

Matters relating to the recirculation of cabin air in aircraft and the levels of carbon dioxide permitted on board passenger aircraft are the responsibility of the Irish Aviation Authority, as indeed is also, from the air safety perspective, any question of limiting the amount of alcohol served per passenger on board aircraft. I have no statutory or other functions in relation to such matters.

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