Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

My colleague, Deputy Michael D. Higgins, is to publish an air transport navigation Bill, which would give the authorities the necessary legislation to which the Minister has referred. Would the Minister be interested in supporting the Labour Party's Bill on the inspection of aircraft coming through Shannon and other airports?

I wish to raise a related matter, which is the massive seizure of cocaine off our coast last week. Has there been any review of security and customs arrangements at private airports? The Maynooth community residents' association wrote to the Minister recently asking him if regular inspections of flights were being carried out at Weston airport. When a tragedy happened a few weeks ago, we became aware for the first time of a little airstrip outside Athy at Kilrush. Are private aircraft at airfields, such as Kilrush and Weston, currently being inspected? Does the Minister intend to undertake any review of this area? My colleague, Deputy Joan Burton, and I were promised something like this about a year and a half ago, but we still have not got it.

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