Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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45. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Question No. 1252 of 21 March 2017, the reason the DAA has refused to provide longitudinal measurements of noise (details supplied) to local residents as promised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22101/17]

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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On 21 March I asked why the DAA had not furnished residents in St. Margaret's with the longitudinal noise measurements which they required to assess the impact of the new runway on their homes. At that stage, the Minister assured me that he had been in contact with them and that the information was being finalised and would be made available to them on 30 March. It is now 10 May and they still have not got it. I am wondering what is the story.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Deputy is correct. As she is aware, the DAA has statutory responsibility to manage, operate and develop Dublin Airport, including the north runway project.  

When the Deputy first raised the issue in March, I had, as she referred to, made inquiries of the DAA and was informed at the time that the longitudinal analysis requested at the community liaison group meeting was being finalised and would be presented at the next meeting of that forum which was scheduled for 30 March.

However, I have now been advised by the DAA that it is not in a position to provide the information to the community liaison group, as intended, due to the legal proceedings taken by local residents in the vicinity of the airport in respect of the runway project.  I regret this. This matter, along with other legal proceedings against Fingal County Council and the State, have been listed for hearing to commence in the Commercial Court in October.  It would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to comment further on issues to which these proceedings refer.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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The heart of this matter is the contempt the DAA is displaying towards local residents. When we asked the question in March, the meeting on 30 March was unilaterally cancelled without any alternative meeting with the community liaison group being put in place. As the Minister correctly stated, in the interim legal proceedings were commenced. Presumably the information had been obtained beforehand, however. Would it not be valid to state that perhaps the residents would not have had to get into costly litigation, which they do not want, if the DAA had consulted them and addressed their concerns in an open and upfront manner? It has failed to do that. I also put it to the Minister that the DAA has ignored him as well. It gave him information which turned out to be invalid.

This information has always been made publicly available. The residents asked for it more than six months ago. That litigation has now started is neither here nor there. I put it to the Minister that it is an indication of how much the DAA is riding roughshod over the interests of local interests, which is not in the interests of anyone, the DAA included. I ask the Minister to go back to the DAA again and ask it to reconsider this.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I obviously have some sympathy for the residents in terms of their frustration with the situation in which they find themselves. However, when the law or legal action comes into issues of this sort, it rather takes it out of the hands of politicians and Ministers. We cannot be seen to intervene in the legal process in any way or to do or say anything that would be prejudicial. I am informed that the legal advice which the DAA received subsequent to the reply which I gave in this House was such that it put it in a situation where it made this decision. Having made a decision of this sort and having said that its legal advice is not to hand over that particular information, it is unfortunate that it happened in that time. However, I will not interfere or comment on the situation.

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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I put it to the Minister that the issue of litigation is a convenient excuse for the DAA to not fulfil the obligations which it had all along. Had it discharged its duties and functions as it should have six months ago when residents asked for the information, the issue would not have arisen. We now have a scenario where homeowners are facing the uncertainty of negotiations and dialogue with the DAA about the purchasing of their homes and how their lives will be post the new runway. The uncertainty has extended to members of the Traveller community who have a halting site and residential development on DAA lands, which will also have to be relocated. This group is also being sidelined. While the Minister may not be able to interfere in litigation, the Minister does have a role in asking the DAA to engage much more responsibly with surrounding communities if they want to have their project fulfilled in the area.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank the Deputy for her contribution. If members of the Traveller community are adversely affected by this, I would urge the DAA to meet them to discuss those problems. I would be very happy to meet them myself.

I do not think the Deputy would question my bona fides on the interaction between the DAA and the Traveller community or between the DAA and local residents. I have facilitated I think virtually every residents' group with a meeting and passed on their problems to the DAA where appropriate and I will continue to do so. There is a constant problem of large organisations being confronted with difficulties and smaller groups feeling absolutely helpless in the face of State monopolies. I will facilitate these smaller groups and do everything I can to help any members of the Traveller community or any other small community or residents of the area who are adversely affected by the work of the DAA. However, I will not intervene in or say anything which prejudices any legal action or legal case.