Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 October 2020
80. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the monitoring or oversight that occurs of aircraft arriving from abroad into airports owned by private persons or companies here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27848/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra81. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 28 July 2020, if he will undertake to collate the data from now on to ensure that his attention is drawn to the number of private jets operating here in view of the significant impact they have on the environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27849/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra82. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the status of the European proposals for a tax on aviation fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27851/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 80 to 82, inclusive, together.
With regard to the Deputy's question on the status of European proposals for a tax on aviation fuel the EU’s Green Deal outlines a number of policy reforms that will deliver on the ambition of making the EU climate neutral by 2050. As part of the Green Deal Package, the European Commission is proposing to revise the Energy Taxation Directive (ETD). Currently under the ETD, aviation fuel, except for that which is used in private-pleasure flying, is exempt from excise duty although Member States can choose to tax aviation fuel for domestic flights and, by means of bilateral agreements, also fuel used in intra-EU flight. The Commission has suggested that this exemption for aviation fuel should be closely examined and the Directorate General for Taxation and Customs Union has published an Inception Impact Assessment on revising the ETD. The Commission has opened a public consultation process and is open until 14 October 2020.
Ireland's Action Plan for the reduction of aviation emissions is available on my Department's website:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/77ebec-irelands-action-plan-for-aviation-emissions-reduction/
As regards monitoring of private aircraft operating into Ireland, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is responsible from an aviation safety perspective and often audits private aircraft operating into Ireland to ensure that they are compliant with the regulatory requirements for airworthiness, operations and flight crew licensing. All flights, regardless of departure or destination, are required to file a flight plan when they intend to enter controlled airspace and all flights arriving into Ireland must follow the requirements as outlined in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). There are also a number of documentary, customs and immigration requirements for aircraft arriving from abroad outlined in the AIP. The oversight of those requirements would come under the aegis of the respective agency, i.e. Department of Justice for immigration requirements, Revenue Commissioners for customs requirements.
