I propose to take Questions Nos. 1168 and 1240 together.
Planning permission for a second parallel runway at Dublin Airport was granted by an Bord Pleanála in 2007. Last year, daa announced their plans to proceed with the North Runway project. Construction began in December 2016 with the runway due to become operational in 2020.
I have welcomed the decision taken by daa to proceed with this nationally important strategic infrastructure project, particularly given the importance of our connections to the rest of the world.
The runway development was subject to a rigorous Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as part of the full planning process in 2007. At that time the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) stated that the impacts of the runway on carbon emissions would not be significant and that mitigation measures such as improved aircraft engine efficiency, efficient airport operations and international climate agreements would address aviation carbon emissions.
The 2020 national reduction targets (under EU Effort Sharing Decision 406/2009/EC) do not include international aircraft emissions so the North Runway project will have no direct impact on these targets.
International aviation emissions are to be addressed separately under an agreement reached in 2016 at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which involves the establishment of a Global Market-Based Measure (GMBM) to offset aviation's CO2 emissions from 2021 onwards by corresponding credits from environmentally beneficial projects.
While I am aware of the recent decision by the Austrian Federal Administrative Court (acting as the court of appeal) to revoke approval of construction of a third runway at Vienna Airport, this is a matter for Austria. I understand that an appeal against this decision is being pursued in the Austrian Supreme Administrative Court.
The development of the much needed additional runway capacity at Dublin Airport is a completely separate matter and one of huge importance to Ireland, particularly given our island status, unlike Austria which has many options in terms of its accessibility links with other countries.
