Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 6, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following:“ “CAR” means the Commission for Aviation Regulation;”.

In the earlier debate we discussed EU Regulation No. 598/2014, of which section 13 states:

The competent authority responsible for adopting noise-related operating restrictions should be independent of any organisation involved in the airport’s operation, air transport or air navigation service provision, or representing the interests thereof and of the residents living in the vicinity of the airport. This should not be understood as requiring Member States to modify their administrative structures or decision-making procedures.

Fingal County Council is not an independent authority because it should take into account the interests of the residents living in the vicinity of Dublin Airport, but the Minister is setting it up as the regulator, with the CEO in that position. This runs counter to EU Regulation No. 598/2014. Many examples were given to the Minister in the Lower House which he did not accept. I will press amendment No. 2 because the competent authority should be the Commission for Aviation Regulation. We debated this issue on Second Stage, while it was debated at length in the Lower House.