Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 January 2019
480. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 227 of 16 January 2019, the reason a recommendation from a contracted auditor for the removal of exemption for law enforcement officers is being implemented (details supplied). [3750/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra481. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 227 of 16 January 2019, the reason a recommendation is being implemented by a contracted auditor for the removal of the authorised officers of the Airport Police Service from the security compliance exemption list (details supplied). [3751/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra482. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a member of An Garda Síochána and-or a member of the Defence Forces who has undergone a once-off background check on entering the service will continue to be exempt from searches in cases in which they enter and exit airport facilities and different areas within an airport campus in view of a proposal that airport police who undergo three-yearly Garda vetting will not be exempt from such searches. [3752/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra483. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when the initial proposal to remove authorised officers of the Airport Police Service from the airport security compliance exemption list was put forward; the person or body that originally suggested same; the reasoning for the proposal; and the objective that will be achieved by the removal of the exemption. [3753/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra484. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if possession of a full background check such as is held by gardaí and members of the Defence Forces is an acceptable level of security compliance to maintain the position of a person on the airport security compliance exemption list. [3754/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 480 to 484, inclusive, together.
Airport security arrangements continue to be developed in accordance with commitments made in the 2015 National Aviation Policy, NAP, which was developed by the Department following extensive industry and stakeholder consultation. The NAP committed to introduce a risk-based approach to ensure Ireland has a robust and efficient aviation security system.
The new enhanced staff screening procedures that the Deputy raises were decided by my Department and adopted by the National Civil Aviation Security Committee, NCASC, on the basis of a risk assessment by the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, which has responsibility for overseeing compliance with aviation security requirements in Ireland. The NCASC has members taken from key Government Departments, the Revenue Commissioners, An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, and industry (both airports and airlines). A number of reviews/audits of security practices and procedures at the State airports pointed to the need to introduce improvements in staff screening arrangements. In particular, in 2017 the Department invited the Paris-based, intergovernmental European Civil Aviation Conference, ECAC, to review security at Dublin Airport. A number of recommendations were made, including relating to improving security screening and checks for insider threats. The Department and the IAA have set about implementing these nationally as part of the National Civil Aviation Security Programme.
On 1 June 2018, my Department issued notice of the new screening procedures, and work has been ongoing at the airports in preparation for the introduction of the new procedures, which take effect from 30 January 2019. What this means in practice is that affected staff will no longer have unchecked access to the designated secure areas of the airport; rather they will have to undergo security checks. It will be a quick and streamlined process, with special facilities provided. I wish to assure the Deputy that it has been made quite clear to all of those involved that personnel will continue to be exempt from security screening if they are responding to any emergency situation. The Department has been in regular communications with the Revenue Commissioners' management, airport management and the Airport Police, and a lot of work has been undertaken at all of the airports to develop and communicate the procedures and protocols that will now be put into effect. The introduction of these new measures will improve security practices and security culture at our airports, which is in everyone’s best interests.
The audit in January 2019 to which the Deputy refers was an inspection of the IAA by the European Commission, and part of this inspection was conducted at Dublin Airport. The results of this inspection have not yet been released.
