Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 February 2018
567. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will report on the recent appointment of Fingal County Council as independent noise regulator for Dublin Airport; the parameters of this role; the way in which the role will be executed and monitored; the consultation with and involvement of the local community in the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6844/18]
View answerThe Government has recently approved my proposal to designate Fingal County Council as the noise regulator for Dublin Airport in order that Ireland fully complies with EU Regulation 598/2014, which came into effect in 2016. That designation will be formalised through primary legislation, and I will be publishing a draft Bill later in the year.
The Government is required under EU law to have a noise regulator in place for Dublin airport, and it has now agreed that Fingal County Council is best placed to carry out that function. The Bill will reflect the airport noise regulatory regime as set out in the EU regulation, which applies to all major airports across each Member State and which is based on best practice noise management measures agreed at the UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation. The parameters of the role and the approach to implementation will fully reflect what is set out in the Regulation, which came into effect in 2016.
Regarding consultation, in the first instance the legislative process will of course provide an opportunity for members of the House to raise matters, but it is also the case that the EU Regulation includes a requirement for public consultation during the regulatory process and, importantly, a separate appeal process.
