Vol. 510 No. 1
75 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself that the terms of reference of the post of director of airport regulation are satisfactory and compatible with other regulators whereby the promotion of competition and lower cost emphasis applies; and the specific regulations, if any, which will be put in place to ensure transparency in the terms of reference for this regulator. [20811/99]
As the Deputy is aware, I received Government approval in July last to proceed with the drafting of legislation to establish the office of an independent aviation regulator.
The aviation regulator will assume responsibility for five regulatory areas which are currently under my remit. These are airport charges; slot allocation; ground handling; air carrier licensing; travel trade licensing; and bonding.
My Department is in liaison with the parliamentary draftsman's office with a view to progressing the drafting of the Bill as quickly as possible in the context of other drafting commitments in that office. My intention at present is to have the Bill published early in the new year and to seek to have it enacted by the Oireachtas as quickly as possible thereafter.
Until drafting of the Bill is completed, I am not in a position to comment in detail on the duties and obligations which will be imposed on the regulator. In general, however, it is my intention that the regulator should promote competition and cost effective operations within the areas covered by his or her remit and that the principles of transparency and accountability will be explicitly applied to the discharge of the regulator's responsibilities.
