Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
247. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport In light of the decision to abolish the passenger cap at Dublin Airport; if a company (details supplied) has formally advised his Department that current air traffic control staffing levels are sufficient to safely accommodate increased passenger and flight volumes without reliance on discretionary overtime. [13900/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra248. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport to confirm whether any regulatory or safety oversight body has raised red flags with his Department about controller fatigue levels, insufficient staffing buffers, or concerns about system resilience given the planned traffic increases; and the action he has taken to try and resolve this issue considering the media is reporting that it has been ongoing for several years. [13901/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra249. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Transport given capacity problems are already evident in January 2026, the specific assurances he can provide that Ireland’s air traffic control system will not be overwhelmed when summer traffic arrives, particularly given the removal of passenger limits. [13902/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra251. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Transport how the current level of staffing within AirNav compares to the level required to provide the service under expected traffic levels; the amount of overtime that was required in 2025 to keep the ATC open; if he recognises that we are now in a situation where normal ATC operations require controllers to regularly work unscheduled overtime (details supplied); his views on whether this is an acceptable way to run critical infrastructure; and if he has received any communication from the Irish Aviation Authority or other regulators expressing concern about whether the current staffing situation creates risks around controller fatigue or operational safety. [13948/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra252. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the measures he is taking to resolve the staff shortages in air traffic controllers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13952/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra253. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport the measures he is taking to address the ongoing staffing issues with air traffic controllers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13953/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra254. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Transport to address flight restrictions due to ongoing staffing issues with air traffic controllers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13954/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 247 to 249, inclusive, and 251 to 254, inclusive, together.
AirNav Ireland was established in 2023 under the Air Navigation and Transport Act 2022 to provide 24/7 air navigation and related services within the 451,000 km2 of airspace controlled by Ireland. It also provides terminal air traffic control services at the three State airports, Dublin, Cork and Shannon.
AirNav is commercial semi-state company funded by way of charges on airlines for its services and is regulated from a safety and an RP4 perspective by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA).
RP4 refers to the performance and charging framework for air navigation services under the Single European Sky mechanism, which runs from 2025 to 2029. Ireland’s revised RP4 Performance Plan, which was submitted to the European Commission by the IAA in August 2025 for review, addresses the provision by AirNav of en route air navigation services and terminal air traffic control services at Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports.
Under the revised RP4 Plan it is planned that the number of air traffic controllers employed by AirNav would increase in increments from 307 at end 2024 to 364 by end 2029 in order to meet the expected increase in demand for AirNav's services.
While overtime remains integral to AirNav's 24/7 operations the reliance on overtime is expected to decrease as air traffic controller staffing numbers rise.
AirNav is actively recruiting and training student air traffic controllers to ensure it has the capacity to meet the increased demand.
AirNav currently employs 324 air traffic controllers, up from 300 at end 2023, and expects to train 76 student controllers in 2026.
The company is currently engaging with FÓRSA on the issue of staffing levels through the company’s Internal Dispute Resolution Board mechanism. That process must be respected and allowed to run its course.
It is important to note that the safe operation of Irish airspace is a priority for AirNav. It is also important to ensure the continued smooth operation of our airports and that any potential disruption to services and passengers is avoided.
