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 9 Air Traffic Controllers & 8 Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel completed the IAA two-year training programmes.

Seventeen students graduated to become part of the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) Air Navigation Service Provider section.  

Nine students received their certificates as Air Traffic Control Officers and eight as Technical Safety engineers at a special IAA ceremony in Limerick.

The graduates will be part of the IAA Air Navigation Service Provider section, which provides air traffic management services in Irish airspace. It comprises almost 500,000 square kilometres and acts as a gateway between Europe and North America.

Presenting the cadets with their certificates, Mr Peter Kearney, IAA CEO said the graduates will contribute to the demand for highly trained air traffic control officers and engineers in Ireland and throughout the world.

“In 2022, Irish air traffic controllers safely handled over 1,000,000 flights through Irish airspace. The new graduates will be part of one of the most advanced air traffic management systems in Europe.

“As the aviation sector is returning to some form of normality, following COVID-19, the IAA must be ready to meet the demands the airlines and their passengers as they traverse the globe.

“I want to pay tribute to the seventeen cadets who worked hard to graduate, despite having their training impeded by the pandemic. Their determination and character enabled them to reach a milestone in their aviation careers and I wish them well. We also recognise the hard work of the IAA team who provided the training to make sure the graduates reach the highest standards in always maintaining safety in our airspace,” he said.

The nine Air Traffic Control graduates will join the current team of 261 across Dublin, Shannon and Cork. This team provides air traffic management services including air traffic control, flight information as well as search and rescue services.

The eight engineering graduates will be part of the Technical Services Directorate, which ensures continuous availability of the safety critical systems as well as comprehensive System Monitoring and Control  capabilities. They will join the eighty-five Air Traffic Safety Electronic personnel and support staff in Shannon, Dublin and Cork.

The graduates include: Jordan Reilly, Joseph Farrelly, Kevin O’Riordan, Daniel O’Connell, Derry Walsh, Aisling Duff, Graham Beirne, Stephen Hand, Eoin Convery, Sarah Dungan, Jack Timmins, David Morgan, Callum Winship,Seaghan Hickey, Joseph Mee, Ratheeshbabu Eruvatt and Lekshmi Krishnan Omana.