SEANAD REPORT:TWO GOVERNMENT members have called for ministerial action on behalf of Irish aviation students whose training in the United States has been terminated prematurely.

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar could not wash his hands of this, said John Whelan (Lab), nor could the Government or the State abandon these young people who had forked out huge sums for such training. The State had given its imprimatur to the pilot training school in Waterford. He understood the department, although a State agency, was a stakeholder in it. As recently as 2010, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) had given its backing to the school.

Cait Keane (FG) said the Minister should bring the IAA to heel on this matter and check out whether it had established that the school had sufficient funds to run its activities. If it had done so, the money should be there for the relevant training. It was unthinkable these students would be asked to pay fees for alternative training.

Leas Cathaoirleach Denis O’Donovan (FF) said he was seriously concerned at the lack of sympathy and concern shown by the State and the Minister for the plight of the trainees “trapped” in Florida.

An attempt by Mr O’Donovan to force an emergency debate on the issue was defeated on a vote.

He told the House he had submitted 15 questions to the Minister last week, but had received no response. He found it disconcerting to be informed by Mr Varadkar’s office that he had no responsibility in the matter. Issues arose as to light-touch regulation and also as to where millions of euro paid for training had gone.

David Cullinane (SF) said he supported calls for a debate on the breakdown in the commercial relationship between the Waterford centre and the Florida institute.