Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is absolutely right. The first message I would put out is similar to what Kenny Jacobs said on "Morning Ireland" this morning. I say to anyone who is doing this that it is really dangerous. If a drone got caught in the engine of a plane in flight, it could potentially have catastrophic consequences. This is a really serious issue and anyone engaged in managing a drone within 5 km of the perimeter of Dublin Airport or near any other airport is, as Mr. Jacobs said, subject to a term in prison of up to seven years on indictment for that offence. It is really significant and serious. First and foremost, it is a matter for the Department of Justice and it is for An Garda Síochána to pursue and prosecute anyone involved. At the meeting last night, the representatives of An Garda Síochána, the aviation authorities, Dublin Airport, the Department and others were all committed to doing everything we can to reduce the threat that such flying of drones near airports creates.

What the Deputy will have heard Mr. Jacobs say this morning is that the DAA is interested in the State adopting some of the evolving technologies to take down drones. The airport has mechanisms to detect drones but none to disable them or bring them down. That technology is evolving. It is very much at the cutting edge of military technology rather than civil aviation technology. There is certainly nothing within our Department. We do not have such military capability. However, we will work with other organs of the State to see how far advanced such technology is and whether it could be deployed. It will not be deployed immediately because, as I have said, this is new and evolving technology. That is one of the issues we will look at. In the meantime, it is very important that the airport work very closely with An Garda, which it does, so that, in any instance, it can immediately monitor and try to find the source of any drone. We must deploy all the powers the State does have - and there is legislation in this area - so that anyone caught doing this can be prosecuted and dealt with.