Since the terrorist incidents of 11 September 2001 in the US, the National Civil Aviation Security Committee chaired by a senior official from my Department has reviewed the existing on-the-ground and in-flight aviation security procedures for Irish aviation and has strengthened existing procedures where appropriate. This work is ongoing.
As regards new regulations, my Department will be making arrangements to give legal effect as quickly as possible to a new EU aviation security regulation concerned with establishing common rules in the field of civil aviation security across member states. All the essential elements of these common rules are already being implemented in Irish aviation. The text of the draft regulation in question was approved at the meeting of Transport Ministers on 5-6 December 2001. The draft regulation is to be considered by the European Parliament shortly.