Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 April 2018
31. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding his engagement with key stakeholders involved in the Dublin Airport north runway project and the appointment of an independent noise regulator, including the CEO of Fingal County Council. [17778/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhat level of engagement has the Minister had with the key stakeholders involved in the DAA north runway project? I ask with specific reference to the appointment of Fingal County Council as the independent noise regulator to comply with EU directive 598/2014.
In relation to the appointment of Fingal County Council as the noise regulator under EU Regulation 598/2014, I wish to advise the Deputy that officials from my Department and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government are working on draft heads of a Bill. That work is primarily focused on the interaction among noise regulation, the EU environmental noise directive and the planning framework. When this is complete, the next step will be to engage the Office of the Attorney General with draft heads of a Bill.
Throughout this process, the chief executive of Fingal County Council and his senior staff have been either directly involved in matters or advised of developments, and they continue to feed in their expertise as required. It is obviously important that the proposed regulatory regime adheres fully to the requirements of the EU regulation. It is also key that it dovetails with existing environmental and planning processes in a way that is implementable by the competent authority and understood by the regulated entity and all other stakeholders.
At a point when there is clarity on the final regulatory model, including formal draft heads, there will be opportunity for a round of stakeholder engagements in advance of the pre-legislative scrutiny of a draft general scheme. As regards the north runway project, I have already met with a number of residents' groups to hear their views and concerns and the Deputy will recall that I arranged for my Department to brief him and others about the Fingal proposal earlier in the year. Those lines of communication remain open and available for future consultation as things move on.
My officials have been involved with Fingal on a very detailed basis in recent times and will continue to be so. I have been involved with stakeholders such as residents and the DAA but communication will continue to be at official level for the moment. I am very willing to meet them when Fingal County Council and my officials feel it is time to do so.
This is a critical piece of national infrastructure which has been delayed because of the Minister. Some 18 months ago we were told that primary legislation or a statutory instrument would be put in place to make the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, the competent authority. In response to a previous question, the Minister said he hoped Members would keep asking this question so that he could keep coming in to keep us updated but we are no wiser than we were 18 months ago. The only difference is that the competent authority has changed.
No legislation is ready. No draft heads of Bill are ready and there is huge uncertainty. There is uncertainty from the residents. They have a fear about the capacity of Fingal County Council to implement this. There is fear within the industry that not enough priority is being given to this legislation in order that it will be progressed at speed. If the Minister was so concerned about ensuring this remains a priority and progressed as legislation, he would be meeting all key stakeholders - the residents who have grievances, the chief executive officer, CEO, of Fingal County Council, the Dublin Airport Authority and the CEOs of the various airlines who rely on this service. He must ensure that it is progressed without any further delay because there have been too many delays and they are laid at the Minister's door.
This is a bit of an old record from Deputy Troy, telling me I have got to meet this, that and the other person. The Deputy is fishing out there. I have met the chief executives of any airlines whom I have wanted to meet or who have wanted to meet me. There is no problem about that whatsoever. I am continuously doing this. I had a meeting with a group of all the major airlines in the country not very long ago. I have met the heads of Ryanair and Aer Lingus and have met the head of the DAA on several occasions. Sometimes they want to raise this subject and sometimes they do not. I meet them whenever they want to meet me. The Deputy should talk to them and ask them. My door is open for them. They do not want to meet me every day either. They do not want me ringing them up every day about this, that and the other. They have got business to do which is apart from Government, which is what I do.
On the issue of the industry being worried about a slowdown, I do not get that vibe. I do not know where the Deputy is getting that from. There have been difficulties which the Deputy has certainly rightly pointed out in this House. There have been delays, which have been very difficult to stomach for any party involved. It is something we have now remedied. We remedied that delay by appointing Fingal County Council fairly speedily after we got the information that the IAA was conflicted. Very soon after that we did actually appoint another competent authority. We did not want to do so with undue speed because this is too important an appointment to do without forensic examination of the possible candidates. We could have appointed someone else but the Deputy would have said that was a mistake. Fingal will do this job properly. It has been selected on a meticulous, prudent and careful basis.
I do not want the Minister to meet them every day of every week. What I want to see happening is progress on this critical legislation. The Minister comes in here and expects us to be satisfied that he has appointed Fingal County Council. He appointed the IAA 18 months ago and for 18 months he came in here and repeatedly told us that work was progressing and legislation was imminent. That did not happen. Now he expects us to take his bona fides that everything is going to be okay with Fingal County Council. I wonder whether it is satisfied that everything is going to be okay. Has it been given written instructions as to what exactly is going to be needed of it to make sure it has the relevant expertise and resources? It might be nervous about moving ahead based on what happened with the IAA.
The Minister can be guaranteed that on this side of the House, we will continue to raise this issue because it is important. It is a critical piece of national infrastructure. Incidentally, two months ago when we met the Minister's officials, we were given a guarantee that they or the Minister would be back to us within a matter of weeks and we have yet to hear back from them.
If the Deputy Troy has a wish to meet my officials or me on this issue at any time, I will arrange it. He can have it tomorrow. Does he want to meet them tomorrow? Friday?
Will they be able to tell us anything?
Does the Deputy want to meet them?
Will they be able to tell us anything?
The Deputy will find that out by meeting them. Does he want to meet them or is this just pure rhetoric for the House? He can meet them day and night if he likes and they will keep him as well informed as is responsible.
It is a pity the Minister would not meet them and tell them what to do.
The Deputy is welcome to meet them any time, and me as well. It is an open door. There is not a problem there at all. The Deputy knows that and knows how I open I will be with him on these issues. If he wants a meeting, he will have a meeting. This matter is too important for him to be able to undermine it or to wish to undermine it. This is an issue of national importance and information should be available to the Deputy of course, because of agreements that we have to act in the national interest on occasions of this sort.
The Deputy asked when we are going to see a Bill. I assure the Deputy that a draft Bill to give full effect to the EU airport noise regulation is a top priority for me and my Department. The matter is also being given priority attention in the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, which has an important role to play in regard to the effective interaction of the noise regulation and the planning regime. Until the Government is presented with this and has agreed a draft Bill for publication, giving a firm commitment on timing is an exercise in futility. It would be absurd to say it is going to be ready this month, next month or the month after. It is an uncertain course but is a matter of extreme and national urgency. It is a matter we will pursue with vigour and energy.
