Pat Breen
Question:447 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport the reason for the introduction of section 14 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1950; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18297/03]
Written Answers. - Airport Red Safety Areas.
Pat Breen
Question:448 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 344 and 353 of 4 February 2003, the precise ICAO standard or standards with which Irish red safety areas are in conformity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18298/03]
Pat Breen
Question:449 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport the respective sizes of the red safety areas for existing runways 06/24 and 13/31 at Shannon Airport, with particular reference to the parameters of inner and outer widths together with overall lengths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18299/03]
Pat Breen
Question:450 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport the respective sizes of the red safety areas for existing runways 17/35 and 07/25 at Cork Airport, with particular reference to the parameters of inner and outer widths together with overall lengths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18300/03]
Pat Breen
Question:451 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport if part of the buildings of clubs (details supplied) are situated within red safety areas near Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18301/03]
Pat Breen
Question:452 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport if Irish Aviation Authority approval or planning permission was sought and obtained in respect of the high-level floodlights surrounding the all weather pitch at a complex (details supplied) under the approach path to runway 10/28 at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18302/03]
Pat Breen
Question:453 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport if aircraft operate below 450 metres above ground level over assemblies of people in contravention of rule 3 of the current Irish Aviation Authority (Rules of the Air) Order on either approach or departure to any runway at any of the State airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18303/03]
Pat Breen
Question:454 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport if Irish Aviation Authority approval or planning permission was sought and obtained in respect of major events involving athletes and associated large crowds of spectators at a complex (details supplied) under the approach path to runway 10/28 at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18304/03]
Pat Breen
Question:455 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Transport the respective sizes of the red safety areas for all runways at the various regional airports with particular reference to the parameters of inner and outer widths together with overall lengths; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18305/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 447 to 455, inclusive, together.
As I have mentioned in previous replies to the House on 4 February, the present red zones at Dublin Airport were formally established in 1968. The then Department of Transport and Power was originally responsible for proposing the establishment of the zones, which were approved and incorporated in the local authorities' development plans, and development within those red zones is controlled by the local authorities through the Planning Acts.
I should at this point describe for the Deputy precisely what the red zones are, and how they are based on ICAO standards. International civil aviation operates under the 1944 Chicago Convention which is administered by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Annexe 14 of the convention, which prescribes standards for aerodromes, recommends that certain pathways through the air on approaches to runways should be clear of obstacles at certain heights, depending on how far away they are from the runway. These are known as "obstacle clearance surfaces", and are imaginary slopes in the air extending away from the ends of runways. They were designed for the protection of aircraft taking off and landing, as an aid to safe navigation. If those slopes in the air are, on a map, projected onto the ground, they form a trapezoid shape, with the narrow base at the end of the runway.
Those shapes have been coloured red on maps for ease of identification, and have therefore been known as red zones. The present dimensions of the red zones were established in 1968, and were notified to the local authorities on whose land the State airports are situated. While the width of the red zones was the same as the projection onto the ground of the obstacle limitation surfaces, the length of the red zones was delineated by the officials of the then Department of Transport and Power at specific distances from the runway, which varied by runway orientation, by airport, and by projected air traffic density. In delineating the length of the red zones in particular, the then Department was seeking to assist the local authorities to have regard to the dimension of public safety in the vicinity of the airports, that is, the safety of people on the ground, living or working underneath an approaching or departing aircraft.
I am advised by Aer Rianta that the size of the red zones for the specified runways at Shannon and Cork Airports are as follows: the inner edges have a width of 300 metres and are located 60 metres from the runway thresholds and the sides diverge at 15% for a distance of 1,829 metres – in the case of runway 25 at Cork, due to difficult terrain, the red – safety – area has a uniform width of 300 metres for a distance of 488 metres and thereafter diverges at 12.5%.
Regarding the regional airports, I am informed by the IAA that aerodrome licensees are required to lodge safeguarding maps with their local authorities indicating the obstacle clearance surfaces that must be protected for compliance with ICAO requirements. The question of additional public safety areas or zones in the vicinity of such aerodromes is a matter for the local authorities concerned.
Regarding the buildings and other facilities of the Aer Lingus Social Athletic Association – ALSAA – I am advised by Aer Rianta that only a very small proportion of the buildings lies within the red zone for runway 10 at Dublin Airport. This is the result of a minor realignment of runway 10/28 prior to its construction. I also understand that no objection was raised to the construction of the floodlights at the all-weather pitch.
I understand that the Irish Kennel Club buildings are privately owned and managed and were constructed in accordance with planning permission from the local authority. Accordingly I have no function in relation to the matter.
On the type of major athletics event referred to by the Deputy, in the vicinity of the airport IAA approval is not required in the context of the safety of people on the ground and I understand that planning permission is not required for specific events at that site.
The question of whether aircraft operate below 450 metres above ground level over assemblies of people is primarily one for the Irish Aviation Authority, which is responsible for the safety of civil aviation in Ireland. However, I understand that Rule 3 of the Irish Aviation Authority (Rules of the Air) Order 2001 also specifies that nothing in the rule prohibits an aircraft from taking off or landing in accordance with normal aviation practice at an aerodrome.
Section 14 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1950 empowers the Minister to make an order to declare that a particular piece of land in the vicinity of an aerodrome was to be a protected area, if the unrestricted use of that land would interfere with the navigation of aircraft.
I would also like to inform the Deputy about future developments regarding public safety around airports, which will see the red zones, as used for public safety purposes, being replaced by public safety zones that will have a substantially different shape and size.
The Department of Transport, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has commissioned consultants to make recommendations for public safety zones in the vicinity of Cork, Dublin and Shannon Airports. The recommendations of the consultants, ERM, will specifically deal with the risk to people on the ground, and will make use of the latest techniques in risk assessment.
That study is nearly complete and the consultants have begun a public consultation on their report this week. They will hold public meetings in Cork, Dublin and Shannon later this month. I expect ERM to then complete the report and present it to the two Departments shortly after the end of July.
When the report is completed it is the intention that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government will issue planning guidelines based on the public safety zones to the local authorities to assist them in their consideration of the public safety aspects of planning applications in the vicinity of airports.
I should, of course, also point out that the obstacle clearance surfaces are not affected by the study being carried out by ERM. Those surfaces will continue to be a matter for the IAA, who will be responsible solely for advising the planning authorities in relation to the aviation operational safety implications associated with particular proposals/planning applications. In future it will be a matter for the IAA to modify, if it sees fit, and acting on ICAO advice, the geometry or dimensions of the obstacle clearance surfaces themselves.