Minister needs to intervene in Pilot Training College debacle – Dooley

The Minister for Transport has a moral obligation to ensure that students at the insolvent Pilot Training College in Waterford complete their education.

That’s according to Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Transport, Timmy Dooley TD, who has called on Minister Leo Varadkar to work with the IAA to ensure the 350 students complete their course.

“I am calling on the Minister for Transport to enter into negotiations with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), to provide the necessary support for these students who have personally spent an average of €80,000 each,” said Deputy Dooley.

“The IAA has considerable resources and I would urge them to seek to come to some compromise with the students.

“I understand the Government will not want to create a precedent, but this is a unique situation. The Minister has to make the IAA step up to the mark. The Pilot Training College was accredited and audited by the IAA.

“Enterprise Ireland is a significant shareholder in the venture and in my view the state should take an active interest in the future of these students. There must be some redress for these students, some of whom now find themselves in huge debt with no qualifications to show for it.

“The students from the Pilot Training College cannot be left stranded like this. We need answers as to how this situation was allowed to happen and the Government needs seek a resolution immediately.”