Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to comment on a couple of points made by the Minister. Let us look back on the reasons the IAA was not permitted. It was because the authority failed the independence test.

I had asked the Minister to confirm whether legislation was being drawn up to break up the IAA. I refer to the independence of the IAA in safety regulation. If it is not appropriate in the case of the IAA and civil aviation regulation, why should it be allowed in the case of Fingal County Council and noise regulation? The Minister also said that the CAR would not be equipped to take on the role of regulator and that there was no expertise. Those same things, however, could be said of Fingal County Council. Returning to the making of the decision, it was rushed into because of the circumstances. It was an 11th hour decision to appoint Fingal County Council, but it also does not have the required in-house expertise. At an earlier meeting, one of the Minister's colleagues mentioned about having to seek and bring in outside expertise. It was also mentioned that nine permanent staff would have to be recruited to deal with this.

The other issue I want to take up also goes back to independence being the key. People are looking for that and for transparency in decision-making right across the board. That is all that communities are looking for. They are looking for safeguards so that they can feel confident that their issues and concerns about health and well-being will all be considered independently and in a very transparent way. The Minister referred to 7% of the income from Fingal County Council. That is not small change in respect of the budget. It is a substantial part of the budget of a council of the size of Fingal and yet it is being brushed off as something and nothing, as if it were spare change. The key aspect here is independence and people do not have confidence that Fingal County Council has the required ability, expertise or, in particular, independence in decision-making. Therein lies the problem. There is no other reason for choosing Fingal County Council than the Minister getting into a tizzy when he realised the IAA was not suitable. It was the 11th hour and he went with it. People have a serious issue with that.