60 Deputy Jimmy Deenihan asked the Minister for Transport the reason for not implementing the six recommendations made two years ago by the Commission for Aviation Regulation to change the existing legislation covering the travel industry here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46788/10]

As the Deputy will be aware in 2008, I requested the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) to undertake a review of the regulation of the travel trade. My Department considered the recommendations arising from this review and concluded that the implementation of the majority of the recommendations would require amendments to legislation. Since the review by the CAR, the European Commission launched a review of the Package Travel Directive in November 2009, which will have implications for the regulatory framework of the travel trade industry. The European Commission has indicated that it intends to publish a proposal for revising the current legislation at the beginning of 2011.

Given this development, there would not appear to be any merit in undertaking fundamental reform of the regulatory regime at this time without a clearer understanding of what the European Commission is proposing in this area.