Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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4. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the need for a second runway at Dublin Airport; the terms of reference for the review he has initiated of the planning for the runway; and the length of time this will take to complete. [33005/16]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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What are the views of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport on the need for a second runway at Dublin Airport, the terms of reference of the review he has initiated in the planning for the runway and the length of time it will take to complete this?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​I am somewhat confused by the question. There is no review of the second runway. I will answer what I think the Deputy meant by his question. The second runway has been decided on and given the go-ahead quite a long time ago. The review to which he refers is, I suspect, something different. If the Deputy will forgive me I will answer the question I think he wished to ask. He is confusing the second runway with all sorts of other capacity reviews and third terminals and so on but I will explain it to him anyway. I will address the capacity review which I think is what he means. The second runway is a given and will not be reviewed.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, has statutory responsibility to manage, operate and develop Dublin Airport. In April 2016, the DAA announced plans to proceed with a second parallel runway, the north runway project, with the intention of having the runway operational by the end of 2020. I have welcomed the DAA's decision to develop this critical piece of airport infrastructure which will ensure Ireland's international connectivity into the future.

The national aviation policy, published in 2015, included a commitment to commission a high-level strategic capacity review of State airports in 2018. With Irish airports now experiencing a return to growth following several years of decline and Dublin Airport, in particular, experiencing exceptional growth, at three times the EU average, I have decided to bring forward the review and get it under way now. While my Department has yet to commence the procurement process for independent consultants to undertake this work, I would hope that the review will be completed in summer 2017.

This review involves planning for the long term. It will consider the development of Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports to 2050, with the identification and prioritisation of new infrastructure development, including modifications, if any, to the existing airport infrastructure. The review will also consider options for the development of new terminal capacity at Dublin Airport, whether State or independent.

There is no intention that there will be an economic or financial review of the north runway project at Dublin Airport. That project has already commenced, as announced by the DAA in April, and now needs to be completed at the earliest opportunity in 2020.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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We are all in agreement that the airport is at capacity. We need to increase capacity if we are serious about sustainable development of our capital and the greater eastern seaboard, and if we want to attract foreign direct investment, support job creation and secure international connectivity. However, we must take on board the concerns of the residents who are living in close proximity to the airport. If we do not do that in a proper manner, we will run the risk of delaying the construction of the second runway. Is the Minister satisfied that EU Regulation No. 598/2014 will give the power in terms of noise restrictions to the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA? Is he satisfied that a statutory instrument will suffice to give it that power or will primary legislation be required? What timeframe does the Minister envisage for that because, as he rightly said, if we are talking about having a second runway constructed by 2020, the residents need to know exactly what the process will be but those who are planning to expand the capacity at the airport also need to know the timeframe under which they are working.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank Deputy Troy. I agree with much of what he said. The interests of the residents are immensely important on this issue of noise regulation in particular but also on the development of the second runway generally. I do not know whether the Deputy is aware that I have met several of the residents' groups individually. Some of them were brought by members of the Deputy's party to meet me, and I listened to what they had to say. I am concerned in particular that a State monopoly should not be allowed in any way to railroad a project like the north runway against the interests of the residents without hearing their legitimate complaints. There are approximately 200 residents involved. That is a lot of people, and there is no doubt that some of them have to suffer unthinkable noise in their homes. The new system of monitoring noise is very welcome. It is being given to the IAA and, for the first time ever, a separate unit within the IAA will be set up specifically to deal with noise regulation. In addition to that, under the EU regulation and within its specific mandate it will speak to the residents and consider their complaints.

The question about the statutory instrument is a fair one. Our intention is to do this by secondary legislation before the end of the year. A couple of issues are still being considered in the Attorney General's office in terms of whether it will be necessary to introduce primary legislation, but that will be decided in the next few weeks.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister referred to the 200 residents. They do not have certainty because on this day, on the floor of the Dáil, the Minister cannot say verbatim whether the IAA will take over by way of a statutory instrument or primary legislation because he does not know for definite whether he would have the full support of the House for such a move. The residents have no certainty. The IAA has no certainty. Everybody is in limbo, and the only person who can take people out of limbo to that the residents can have confidence in the process that will be undertaken and that the DAA can plan accordingly and move on with this much-needed increase in infrastructure and increased capacity is the Minister. He is talking about a third terminal. At the moment we do not have a second runway in place to deal with the capacity of the passengers transiting through Terminals 1 and 2. Will the Minister use this opportunity to outline clearly the timeframe for how this will develop over the coming months and the process by which effective parties, if they have a grievance, can raise it?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Absolutely. The Deputy is being a little bit alarmist. There is one certainty. The runway will be built. What is uncertain, as the Deputy correctly said, is the exact timeframe because we are not certain that primary legislation will not be required. It is unlikely, but it is possible. If this is done by way of a statutory instrument, it will all be over by Christmas. If primary legislation is by any chance necessary, it will be done very early in the new year. Those are the certainties. The residents have this certainty, and they have comfort in that. They have a Minister who, for the first time, is sympathetic to their wishes and who is meeting them and making sure that whoever is the regulator, their needs will be considered.

The residents have something else as well. They have a new regulator whose mandate is to consider the wishes of the residents and the strain they are suffering under and to give them all sorts of remedial measures if and when they are appointed. The IAA has already been appointed but I refer to when the regulator is confirmed. That is a comfort to them. Never before has there been a State body solely dedicated to dealing with the noise levels at the airport. It is a body which has expertise in this area and which we considered very carefully before appointing. I believe the residents, who have had a very tough time for many years, should regard that as a plus and a benefit.