Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The issue at hand is that a commercial relationship exists between Fingal County Council and the Dublin Airport Authority. The Minister knows that. If he was on this side of the House, he would be doing exactly what we are doing. In fact, the Dublin Airport Authority is the single biggest ratepayer to Fingal County Council. I am not questioning the ability of Fingal County Council or, indeed, its relationship with the Dublin Airport Authority. I am, however, stating that a relationship exists which is both important and commercial in nature. The appointment of Fingal County Council as noise regulator gives rise to the potential for a conflict of interests to arise at some point in the future. Like Deputy Clare Daly and other representatives from Fingal, I will continue to raise this matter in the hope that before the Minister brings legislation to the House, good sense will prevail and this decision will be reconsidered. The Minister has to acknowledge the problem. If he does not, then the whole of Fingal - indeed, the entire country - faces a serious problem.

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