Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I feel almost embarrassed for the Minister and the unenviable position he is in because this is a catastrophic failure on the part of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. I could paper my house with the amount of replies I have received telling me that the IAA was best placed to be the competent authority to implement this regulation. In June the Minister told me the Attorney General was drafting and was about to sign off on the seventh version of draft regulations to give that effect. He said he expected that to happen in a week's time. That was the new Attorney General who has obviously stood on its head the advice of the old Attorney General. Now we find out, a year and a half down the road, that we are in the lap of the gods as to what alternative authority will be put in place to deal with aircraft noise. The regulation is supposed to protect airport communities but we know the DAA intends to hijack it to undermine the conditions restricting aircraft noise. This is a huge issue for the airport communities and they will be absolutely shocked to their core to hear the response from the Minister today. I feel sorry for him, having to give that response.

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