Deputy Denis Lyons has been given permission to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of the Private Notice Question which he submitted today and which was ruled out of order as not meeting the criteria laid down for Private Notice Questions. Please read the question.
Adjournment Debate. - Cork Airport Landing Facilities.
Sar a léim an cheist ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leat gur thug tú seans dom an cheist a chur ar an Aire agus go bhfuil seans againn an cheist seo a phlé. Is í an cheist a chuir mé ná:
To ask the Minister for Communications if he is aware of the difficulties created for flights into Cork Airport due to instrumentation landing gear being out of commission since 6 January 1986 and the non-availability of the radar equipment recently causing flights to be diverted to other airports and if he will make a statement on the matter.
We are all too well aware of flights having to be diverted from Cork Airport and other airports in this country and in other countries for various reasons. The people in Cork are very conscious of how often flights have to be diverted because of fog. The reason I raised this question had nothing to do with fog over Cork Airport. It was alarming for the people who use this airport for commercial or other reasons to become aware through the media of information such as the following.
On Thursday last three flights were diverted to Shannon — a plane from London carrying 110 passengers, a plane from Bristol with 114 passengers and a plane from Dublin with 40 passengers. Two reasons were advanced for that: first, that the instrument landing system has been out of action since last January when work started on a four month project to replace it with a more modern system; and second, that the radar system is run by air traffic control and only certain members are qualified to operate it. Nobody would confirm that when qualified people are not on duty the radar system is declared to be "not available". The result is that flights are diverted. I put down this question for those reasons. Concern was expressed in the media and by people I met who are interested in Cork Airport about the diversion of flights.
A spokesman at the airport when questioned would not agree 100 per cent that the non-availability of qualified staff was caused by a rigid no overtime rule which did not take into account the enforced loss of the instrument landing system. Nevertheless, it is believed that all three diversions on Thursday last were caused by the non-availability of radar qualified air traffic control men and radar qualified technicians.
A spokesman said that new equipment had been installed in the airport. However, it appears that staff still have to be trained to use it. We thought things would have been much worse since January but we were fortunate during February that, due to the easterly winds, the airport was able to continue operating without the instrumentation needed for that type of landing. I want to emphasise that we did not experience the usual weather conditions such as fog which very often is the cause of diverting flights from Cork to other airports. We were fortunate that during February we had strong easterly winds which kept the airport clear of fog. The seriousness of the situation can be seen from what happened recently in Cork Airport. This creates uncertainty in the minds of travellers using the airport. That is the reason I raised this question today.
I want to make a passing reference to the situation in the Cork area since the loss of the ferry. If the Minister, the Department and everybody concerned with the running of Cork Airport allow that situation to develop, they will be cutting off Cork's remaining link with the outside world. We will not have air traffic nor will we have sea traffic in and out of Cork. That is very serious. I am pleased the Ceann Comhairle agreed to allow me to make that point here this evening.
This is an intolerable situation. This breakdown in equipment could have very serious repercussions for Cork Airport and the Cork region generally. Air traffic into Cork must be a certainty. I am at pains to emphasise that while we have had, and we will always have, diversions because of low ceiling cloud or fog, to divert traffic because there is no one qualified to operate the landing and radar equipment is not acceptable to me, or to the people of the region.
In reply to a Parliamentary Question on 11 March as reported at column 1393 of the Official Report, the Minister said that an estimated total expenditure of £500,000 would be spent on the instrument landing system at Cork Airport, in addition to other items of capital expenditure. The Minister said he was aware that aircraft diversions caused by weather conditions had been a problem for Cork Airport. I acknowledge that the Minister is aware of that fact, but so is everybody else including the people in the Department and the people in the region. What happened recently is not acceptable.
I will pose a few questions to the Minister on this matter. First, is the embargo on recruitment in the public service having an effect on the service of controllers, assistance controllers and supervisors into Cork Airport? If that is the case I might suggest that the embargo on recruitment be adjusted with some selectivity in that area so that the safety of passengers in the air and, indeed, on landing and take off, would not be endangered. I am aware that there are five supervisors, nine controllers and eight assistant controllers, or cadets if one wishes to describe them as such, in the service at Cork Airport. I am aware also that the roster is operated by a system of teams of five and that morale within the system is very low. I know that discussions have been taking place with the Department and all those concerned with the question of manning and staffing levels at Cork Airport. I know also that the instrument landing system there is available on one runway only. The radar equipment, when available, can be used on that runway and the others also.
It is regrettable that the landing equipment was taken out of commission on 6 January last. Bearing in mind that that landing equipment must be renewed or repaired the least we can do is ensure that the radar equipment is available and is adequately manned. Perhaps the Minister would confirm that the reason the radar equipment was not available on the recent occasion to which I have referred was because of shortage of staff, or that the manning levels are insufficient. I should like to know from the Minister also if this landing equipment will be available before May 1986 or will it be from May 1986 only in accordance with the Minister's remarks made in the Official Report from which I have already quoted when he said that the actual expected completion date is May 1986. If that is the case, by way of alternative, we must ensure that the radar equipment at the airport is available and is staffed with the numbers required. I say this bearing in mind that Cork Airport operates on limited hours only; we do not have a 24-hour service there. Indeed, the airport closes at 11 o'clock in the evening. Surely it is possible that the system be operated by way of a more satisfactory schedule than that obtaining.
The purpose of my raising this question is to get an assurance, not for myself or the House only but for the people of the region, for everybody intending to use Cork Airport, to have it made abundantly clear to them that the airport is and will be available, that whatever manual or radar equipment is required for that purpose will be laid on. I should like the Minister to reasure us that we need have no fears on that score.
If there is any doubt about the ability of aircraft to land at Cork Airport, if there is any uncertainty among passengers and operators about Cork Airport being adequately equipped or manned and that one is likely to be diverted to another airport then we say that is not good enough. We want an assurance that the airport — though it closes down at 11 p.m. — will be available with its facilities so that people can fly in there with reasonable expectation. We all accept that in time of low cloud diversions will take place, as they will at any airport. Limited though it is, it is our remaining direct link with our partners in the EC, Britain and elsewhere. Along with the cessation of the ferry out of Cork to Great Britain we cannot and will not tolerate any doubt about the capability of Cork Airport and its facilities to serve the people wishing to use them. It is absolutely essential for the commercial life of Cork that the airport be maintained and adapted for additional use, and that there should not be a reduction in its activities. We must ensure that every opportunity is availed of to develop and expand these facilities. I am mindful of the indications given in a recent reply to a Parliamentary Question about the proposals for floodlighting, roadworks, security fencing, the fire station extension and new fire fighting vehicle, along with fireproofing of the control tower. All of that is very welcome, as is the proposed expenditure to which the Minister referred. However, all of those efforts to establish Cork Airport as a link with the south-west will be nullified if we cannot assure all those people using and promoting its facilities that they can with any degree of certainty land there and will not be diverted to another airport because the radar equipment is not operating or because the instrumentation landing equipment will not be repaired or be available again until May 1986.
I want the Minister to dispel any fears that exist and, if necessary, correct the reasons given for diversions of flights last week because it was not the weather that occasioned those diversions, rather was it the non-availability of the radar equipment at the airport. It should be well within the competence of the Minister to ensure that that does not recur. Whatever the reasons, the Minister and his Department should ensure that they are corrected.
Ba mhaith liom a rá ar dtús go bhfuil an-áthas orm, freisin, an t-ábhar seo a phlé anseo.
I consider that Deputy Lyons has an awful neck raising such an issue, quoting as he did my recent substantial parliamentary reply about the extensive improvements taking place at Cork Airport. It is totally unreasonable of him to raise this question in the House at this hour of the evening when the difficulties to which he refers are caused substantially by the temporary absence of an instrument landing system while we instal a new one. I am very proud that as Minister I have set to rights the communications, radar and instrument landing systems at our three national airports. Most of those facilities were in not very good condition when I came to office.
There have been diversions in Cork Airport. There have been about 23 since 6 January, but that is not out of line with the number of diversions there over recent years on average. Of course, most diversions take place during the winter months. I hope that the new instrument landing system when installed will bring about some improvement in the situation. I am glad to tell the House that the installation of the instrument landing system is on schedule and should be operational within about two months from now. That is a considerable step forward for Cork Airport.
There are also major improvements in relation to instrument landing systems taking place at Dublin Airport where a second instrument landing system is now being installed. There have been major improvements at different airports in the communications and radar fields, so much so that we can be reasonably happy at all our airports with the present level of communications, radar and instrument landing systems.
I am vexed at Deputy Lyons hyping up this question tonight. No Minister has done more for Cork Airport than I have done. In the year just gone, 1985, Cork Airport had its best year ever and what was a substantial loss maker has now reached almost a balance. I am very happy to be able to say that. It applies not only to Cork Airport. Shannon Airport which was in deficit only a few years ago, is in boom time making substantial profits and a record number of landings in recent years. Therefore, I want to assure Deputy Lyons and the House that as far as I am concerned these improvements will continue at our airports. Further, the embargo on recruitment has had no adverse impact on Cork Airport. Arrangements are being made to send extra traffic control staff to Cork to enable the airport to open for 24 hours over the coming summer.
That is all I have to say tonight. I am sorry that Deputy Lyons sought to hype this question here at this hour of the night.
I am not a bit sorry.
Nonetheless, I am grateful to him for the opportunity to put on record the substantial efforts that I and this Government have made to ensure the prosperity and future of Cork Airport.
The Dáil adjourned at 10.55 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 20 March 1986.