Derek McDowell
Question:18 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action she has taken or intends to take in the matter of authorising civil aircraft to operate at Baldonnel Military Airport. [17307/00]
Written Answers. - Air Services.
Any use of Baldonnel for civil aviation purposes is a matter which falls to be considered by me, in consultation with the Minister for Defence, in the context of overall airports' policy. Over recent years, both the Minister for Defence and I have received several proposals in relation to limited development of civil aviation at Baldonnel.
The position of Baldonnel was considered in the Warburg Dillon Read/AIB report on Aer Rianta's future strategic direction, which assessed the merits of a second airport in Dublin particularly in the context of the possible development by commercial interests of Baldonnel Aerodrome.
I note that, with regard to Baldonnel, the advisers see no reason for the Government to hinder commercial development at the aerodrome subject to appropriate planning and Irish Aviation Authority approvals. They believe, however, that while the development of a corporate jet facility on a commercial basis could be viable, a larger scale passenger airport development at Baldonnel would be commercially challenging.
These issues are addressed in the advisers' report which is now publicly available. I am now giving careful consideration to the findings and recommendations of that report and I will submit my proposals for consideration by the Government shortly.
As military aerodromes are excluded from the provisions of the Irish Aviation Authority Act, 1993, the IAA are unable to exercise jurisdiction over civil aviation activities at the aerodrome until such time as a legislative amendment is introduced.
Proposals to amend Section 3 of the IAA Act, 1993, to enable the IAA to regulate the safety aspects of civil aviation operations at military aerodromes are being included in the Aviation Regulation Bill which is at present before the Dáil.