Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Formal discussions between my Department and Weston Limited have taken place over the past two years but it was not until last October that a formal group was established to consider this specific proposal and the Air Corps have only participated in the process since January.

As regards the proposals currently before the Irish Aviation Authority, the authority will make the ultimate decision on those. Our role is to determine whether safety issues or the operational capability of Irish military aircraft will be compromised. We will make the group in which we participate aware of any interference with safety or operational capability. I doubt that the Irish Aviation Authority would grant permission if the Air Corps was to suspect that safety or our operational capacity could be compromised.

Deputy Catherine Murphy noted various unauthorised developments, which I take to be of a structural nature. I was not aware of the order made by the High Court but these are matters for South Dublin County Council and Kildare County Council. If a specific proposal is made and the Air Corps is asked to participate, it has a moral obligation to do so because it must take safety and operational capacity into account and the best way in which it can make its views known is across the table. However, the Irish Aviation Authority, which is the ultimate deciding authority, has not yet made any decision.

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