Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)

We have to begin by saying that we all agree drones have massive potential for good in society such as for emergency relief mapping and delivering medicines to isolated areas etc. The focus of this Topical Issue is the fast-food drones that have been operating in Dublin 15 in particular. Manna, which operates these drones to deliver fast food, has been doing so for about a year and a half. It is unlicensed, obviously, but it has three bases without planning permission. No consultation was ever held with the community before introducing this very invasive technology over the community. The recent policy framework process that the Department conducted acknowledges that societal concerns must be addressed. It also acknowledges that there must be approval of local authorities. The Dublin 15 service is in breach of both of those stipulations and in my opinion and that of residents, it should cease until there is regulation, community assent and it complies with all of those things. Complaints have been escalating. The impact is overwhelmingly negative given the few who use it for convenience foods such as ice cream and coffee. No environmental impact is required for its impact on wildlife. The privacy protections that Manna claims it has have been found to be completely not the case. It claims they only use cameras for the delivery drop that do not impact other residents. That is not true. We have evidence of that. However, the community is fighting back. A huge meeting took place in Dundrum over the summer, where this is also to be introduced, and Manna and the people who were talking about tech inevitability got their lesson there. In Dublin 15, there is now Drone Action Dublin 15, which is bringing residents together to organise a town hall meeting on Monday, 6 October and to inform and give the residents voice on this issue for a change.

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