Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to contribute. This is bizarre and farcical. Last December, when we asked a similar question the Minister said he was embarrassed by the delay. We are now ten months further on and I would hate to see the Minister's level of embarrassment now. This is a total and utter failure on the Minister's part. Only two weeks ago I brought up this issue during a topical issues debate and even then the Minister was still peddling the line that the IAA was the preferred competent authority. It is not good enough for the DAA which wants to progress the development of a key piece of infrastructure for this country. It is also not good enough for the residents, as Deputy Daly has highlighted, that even today, the Minister is unable to inform the House as to who the competent authority will be in terms of the regulation of noise at the airport. It is not good enough. The Minister said he will progress this with a great deal of speed and urgency. All I can say is that I hope the speed and urgency is a lot different from that which was promised 12 months ago.

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