Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)

I did not have time to read the Minister of State's substantial prepared answer but the Department of Transport has known about this because residents have been in contact. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, is also based in the area and replied to residents last August. I warn people in Dublin city that this is what they are in for. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, it seems, will let these companies unleash this on people.

One of the problems is that the drones are restricted from flying too high because of planes and, obviously, the lower they are, the more noise they generate. The operator is supposed to restrict their hours of operation but that is not being followed, according to residents. They are also supposed to alter their flightpaths so that they are not constantly going over the same houses. That does not happen either. For so many people, the only thing they have in life is sitting outside in their back garden or enjoying their own home, given that they cannot afford to go out, yet this is what they are constantly subjected to.

I have to hand an example of the noise of a drone, which was recorded as it flew over my housing estate in Mulhuddart. This is what people are listening to on a Saturday morning, in the evening or whenever. This really needs to be brought home because as one resident asked, will our skies become as busy as our roads? No private company should have the right to do this. If this is necessary, as Deputy Gannon said, for isolated areas, I can see that but it should be run by the State.

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