Efforts are being made to minimise disruption to passengers amid ongoing staffing issues with air traffic controllers, Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien has said.
A number of flights at Dublin and Cork airports were disrupted in recent weeks due to the situation.
“I am paying close attention to this important matter. Our primary focus is on ensuring the smooth operation of our airports and minimising disruption to passengers,” O’Brien said in a statement on Sunday.
The Minister said AirNav Ireland, the semi-State organisation responsible for air traffic control, was engaging with trade union Fórsa “on issues such as staffing levels through the company’s internal dispute resolution board mechanism”.
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“That process must be respected and allowed to run its course. It would be inappropriate to comment further while that engagement is under way,” O’Brien said.
He added that AirNav’s priority is “the safe operation of Irish airspace”.
O’Brien was responding to comments by Pat Noctor, president of the Irish Air Traffic Controllers Association, in an interview with the Sunday Independent.
Noctor said flight cancellations appear inevitable, as the system has become increasingly dependent on air traffic controllers volunteering for overtime on rest days.
On Thursday, The Journal reported that areas of Irish airspace had closed more than 10 times to date this year due to staff shortages.
