Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on the need for a second runway at Dublin Airport; and the way in which plans are progressing in this regard. [22357/17]

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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This is the third time I have raised this question or a similar question in the last four or five months. Will the Minister provide an update on the progress of the second runway at Dublin Airport? What are his views on when we can expect the work to commence and be completed and the plans to ensure residents' concerns are also being taken on board?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, holds statutory responsibility for the management, operation and development of Dublin Airport, including the north runway project. Passenger traffic at Dublin Airport in 2016 increased to almost 28 million, making it the second fastest growing airport in the EU in 2016, growing at three times the EU average. The airport is now the fifth most important European hub for connectivity to North America, ahead of such competing airports as Rome, Munich and Zürich.

New capacity at Dublin Airport is essential to meet growing demand and delivery of the runway is urgently required to minimise constraints on service expansion. The north runway project is a critical piece of airport infrastructure which will ensure Ireland's international connectivity into the future. Moreover, despite the challenges presented by Brexit and the wider international geopolitical uncertainty, international aviation associations forecast demand for air travel to nearly double over the next two decades. Ireland, as an island and a small, open economy, must be well placed to expand our connections with the rest of the world. Failure to build the runway now would incur the loss of a major economic opportunity for Ireland to support trade, foreign direct investment and tourism. Increased costs, more delays and more congestion at Dublin Airport would offer reduced service levels for the travelling public.

Work on the project has commenced with the runway scheduled to be operational in 2020. On 6 March, Fingal County Council approved an extension to the time limit of the planning permission in relation to the second parallel runway. As I am sure the Deputy will be aware, this is a very sensitive issue because it is now the subject of judicial review proceedings taken by local residents against Fingal County Council and the State and is listed for hearing in the Commercial Court in October. It would be inappropriate, therefore, for me to comment any further on the issue to which these proceedings refer. Whereas there are constraints on that, the enthusiasm of the Government, me and my Department, and everyone in the House for this runway is undiminished.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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We can all agree that it is a critical piece of infrastructure that enables economic development, supports job creation and supports international connectivity. We all know the difficulties the airport faces in capacity issues.

The Minister alluded to the statutory instrument. His Department gave the authority to the Irish Aviation Authority, IAA, in September 2016. We are unaware of where that statutory instrument currently stands. The residents do not know how they can engage in a structured manner with the appropriate authority to make their views known in respect of noise. The delay is impeding the progression of the runway in terms of the DAA. Where exactly do we stand in respect of the statutory instrument? Has the Department completed its work? Will secondary or primary legislation be necessary? When will the concerned citizens know how they can engage with this process? When will DAA know it can progress with the development of a very critical piece of infrastructure, not just for the Dublin region but for the country as a whole?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The residents have been engaging on the noise and planning issues, maybe not as constructively as they wished but certainly very frequently, not only with DAA but also with me. I have met a large number of delegations on the issues to which the Deputy refers and on other issues as well. The issue of primary legislation and statutory instruments is very delicate. It has taken longer than I had wished. I apologise to the Deputy. I think I gave the impression on the previous occasion that it was imminent and I certainly felt that was the case. It is now with the Attorney General's office. There are some fairly detailed and difficult legal problems in determining what is decided by statutory instrument and what is decided by primary legislation in respect of the noise issue. I think that a draft of what looks like the final stages of the statutory instrument was seen by my Department on Friday last. We are absolutely determined that the noise issue and the appointment to the IAA will go ahead as soon as possible. As matters stand, the runway is going ahead and is on target still for 2020.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Department has given the authority for controlling the noise level to the IAA. Concerned residents wishing to engage in a structured manner do not know how they may do so. The DAA does not know how it can progress with the runway. I understand that it is not on target because of the delay on the part of the Minister and his officials to have the statutory instrument published.

I have looked back at the previous oral questions I tabled in respect of this matter. In December 2016, the Minister said that the secondary legislation would be before the Oireachtas by the end of the year. That is on the record of the Dáil. In March of this year, he said he would expect to be in a position to sign off on it in the coming weeks. Does the Minister know what is going on in his Department at all? What is the delay? It is not as if the Department is bringing out a raft of legislation in other areas. There is nothing coming from the Department. This is delaying the progression of a much-needed, critical piece of infrastructure that supports job creation, economic development and international connectivity. It is being impeded by the Minister and his officials.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Deputy is absolutely right. It has been delayed and that is a great pity. It has been delayed much longer than we expected. However, he is also absolutely wrong. The delay has nothing to do with my Department. Taking this as an opportunity to have a swipe at the Department and everything else it is doing is absurd. The project has been delayed because there are serious legal problems and the matter is with the Attorney General's office. I respect the right of the Attorney General's office to do a thorough and exacting job.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister respects the Attorney General's office when it suits him.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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There would be nothing worse than having flawed secondary legislation come before this House. This matter is complicated and difficult, and progress on it has been delayed. However, the Deputy should not say it has been delayed in my Department. That is factually untrue and the Deputy knows it. It has been delayed because the lawyers are looking at it and it is a difficult problem.

The Deputy is right; I did say I hoped to have it by the end of the year. I also still hope to have the secondary legislation within weeks.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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That is what the Minister said in March.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I am not, at the behest of the Deputy or anybody else, going to demand that flawed legislation be put before this House. I would rather that they got a thoroughly robust piece of legislation to bring before the House and that is what will happen.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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It was made flawed by the Minister's Department. Who wrote the legislation? It was the Minister's Department that wrote it and referred it to the Attorney General's office.