asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he has been able to establish the cause of the loud noise heard and felt throughout the Dublin area on December 26th at or about 10.45 a.m.; whether is was due to supersonic aircraft; and, if so, what steps the Government propose to take to prevent recurrence of such supersonic disturbance in Irish airspace.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Noise Cause.
35.
The investigations I have made in this matter suggest that the noise was caused by a military aircraft flying over the Irish sea outside Irish airspace which, at the time of the occurrence, executed a change of course at supersonic speed resulting in the phenomenon known as a "focussed boom". This is a most infrequent occurrence and a repetition is unlikely.
I have under consideration the introduction of legislation to prohibit supersonic flight within Irish airspace, but such a prohibition could not be fully effective without international co-operation as is illustrated by the occurrence which is the subject of this question.
Efforts to achieve the necessary international agreement in this respect are being made.
May I take it from the Minister's reply that this matter, which I raised five years ago and repeatedly since then in this House, is now the subject of international discussion so as to ensure that transatlantic flights from European points of departure will not feel themselves free to assume supersonic speeds, once they have passed over British territory, with consequential continual supersonic bangs, oriented or otherwise, taking place over our land mass?
This is a very complex question and, so far, there have not been conclusive tests as to what would constitute supersonic boom as made by the kind of aircraft that will come into use for passenger transport such as the Concorde and the American supersonic plane. There are experiments going on to determine what type of noise will be made. There are international discussions taking place on this problem. The boom can extend laterally for distances of from between 25 to 30 miles, and even if we pass legislation which will prevent the passage of supersonic planes over our territory, we may still suffer from supersonic bangs from planes outside the area unless this can be dealt with by international treaties.
Is the Minister aware that discussions have reached a fairly advanced stage amongst European countries, including Great Britain, to provide that supersonic flights will not take place over their territory? Am I to presume from what the Minister has said that our Government are joining in these discussions and hope to secure consent from the participants in them that supersonic speeds will not be undertaken until Irish territory has been left behind from departure points in Europe to the United States and by aircraft originating in America approaching the European land mass? If not, this country will be the most supersonically-banged country in the world.
The Deputy may take it that every step will be taken to prevent supersonic boom over our territory.