The 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 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.
I am aware that there are some local issues with redirected flights as a result of works being undertaken at Dublin airport. Flight path management is, in the first instance, a matter for the Irish Aviation Authority which, in coordination with the DAA, manages inbound and outbound flights in accordance with international air traffic control rules and regulations. I have asked my Department to bring the concerns raised to the attention of the IAA.
