THE Irish Aviation Authority, which has responsibility for air traffic control over a 100,000 square mile area well out into the Atlantic Ocean, will report a strong financial performance at its annual general meeting in Dublin today.

The authority, which is an arm of the Department of Transport Energy and Communications, is expected to report an increase in profits of almost 10 per cent to almost £5.1 million - boosted by a substantial increase in air traffic through the areas controlled by the authority. Turnover - which is largely fees levied on airlines using IAA controlled airspace - is understood to have risen almost 9 per cent to over £53 million.

Air traffic activity is up sharply with a 6 per cent rise in "upper airspace" movements to almost 185,000 while "terminal traffic" movements into the airports were up 11 per cent to almost 230,000. Movements through the `Shanwick' area - the air traffic control area extending from Ireland to well out into the Atlantic Ocean are understood to have risen nearly 8 per cent to over 250,000 movements. The IAA has recently announced plans for a state of the art air traffic control centre in Shannon which will cost £20 million to construct and another £20 million plus to equip. This centre should be operational by 2001. The authority spent over £5 million last year on capital expenditure, including the new Dooncarton radar station in Mayo.