Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2010
78 Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Defence his plans to review the restriction on any new development around Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, County Dublin, in view of the fact that several hundred acres of land fully serviced at a significant cost to the taxpayer and which has considerable employment generating potential is now sterilised due to this restriction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15703/10]
View answerSection 36 of the Defence Act 1954 provides the Minister of Defence with the authority to introduce protected area orders in respect of the vicinity of Casement Aerodrome or other military aerodrome. These zones were first introduced in 1955. Since the introduction of the Planning and Development Act the details of these restrictions have been incorporated into the various Development Plans for South Dublin County Council.
The zones, which address both flight safety and security issues, have been reviewed on a number of occasions, the most recent having been carried out late last year. The findings of this review have been submitted to South Dublin County Council as part of the Department's submission in respect of the Draft County Development Plan 2010-2016.
The rationale behind the presence of the exclusion zone is one of flight safety and the safeguarding of members of the public in the vicinity of the only Military Aerodrome in the State. This policy is in line with international practice at all airports.
The security zone provides a level of protection for operations within and from the aerodrome.
