Sir, – As debate continues around the proposed removal of the Dublin Airport passenger cap, an associated aviation safety governance issue requires attention.
Through parliamentary questions and committee correspondence, I have raised a narrow technical inconsistency in Ireland’s reporting framework for anomalous aerial observations in Irish-controlled airspace. Reporting of such observations is mandatory in the United States under structured federal procedures.
However, no equivalent explicit and unambiguous mandatory reporting provision exists within the relevant Irish statutory instrument governing Irish airspace.
The same aircraft, on the same transatlantic flight, with the same crew, are subject to mandatory reporting obligations while operating in US airspace – but not under clearly defined equivalent language here. As traffic volumes increase, reporting clarity should evolve in parallel.
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Christopher Mellon, former US deputy assistant secretary of defence, has noted that alignment between Ireland and the US in mandatory reporting would benefit both air safety and national security.
A proportionate amendment to Ireland’s statutory instrument would ensure reporting clarity keeps pace with operational expansion. – Yours, etc,
CHRISTOPHER GAFFNEY,
Swords,
Co Dublin.
