2019 Section 32 Examination of the IAA

Section 32 of the Irish Aviation Authority Act requires periodic appointment of a person to carry out an examination of the performance by the Irish Aviation Authority of its functions in so far as they relate to the application and enforcement of technical and safety standards in relation to aircraft and air navigation. The section 32 examination is in addition to the regular international oversight audits from the International Civil Aviation Organisational (ICAO) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The examination is a further safeguard to ensure that safety standards are upheld. In April 2019 the Minister appointed consultants Helios to carry out a Section 32 examination. This Report provides a snapshot of the state of play of IAA performance of its statutory functions at the time of the examination (Q2-Q3 2019).

Following the publication of the Report of the Section 32 Examination of the IAA in May 2020, an Addendum to the Report on the IAA’s safety regulation and oversight of aviation search and rescue (SAR) was published in February 2021.