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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 26 Feb 1970

Vol. 244 No. 11

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sonic Boom.

56.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if his Department have had any discussions with the British Ministry of Civil Aviation concerning any annoyance caused by sonic boom here as result of flights of the Concorde aircraft, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

57.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether the Irish Government have received any official communication from the British Government about the Irish Sea route for the Concorde test flights; and whether he has any statement to make on the matter.

58.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he is aware of the concern created by the possibility of damage from the sonic boom from supersonic aircraft; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

59.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he has requested foreign aviation interests not to test supersonic aircraft over Irish territory or territorial waters.

With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 56, 57, 58 and 59 together.

My Department has been in correspondence and has had discussions with the British authorities about the routes for the supersonic test flights of the Concorde. I have been furnished with details of the test route running down the Irish Sea. The test route has been selected with the aim of avoiding sonic boom in our territory and in fact the edge of the sonic boom carpet along this route is well clear of our territory.

Would the Minister agree that even a slight deviation from the planned route of the Concorde could entail a very serious nuisance to the residents along the east coast of this country?

The sonic boom carpet is 50 miles wide, 25 miles on each side of the aircraft, and due to our representations to the British authorities they have kept very clear of our jurisdiction. They are, in fact, flying over portions of Scotland, Wales and adjacent to parts of the northeastern end of our island. As far as our jurisdiction is concerned they are keeping well clear.

Is the Minister fully satisfied that no nuisance will arise affecting the residents on the eastern side of this country?

We cannot give any guarantee, but we have done everything possible.

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