Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 646: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the body which is responsible for monitoring noise emissions from aeroplanes at Weston Aerodrome; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that South Dublin County Council says it is not its responsibility; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the Irish Aviation Authority has stated in a written response that this is not within its statutory remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30002/04]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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There are no statutory limits for noise emitted from airports or aerodromes, nor is there a specific statutory requirement on local authorities to monitor noise emissions from airports or aerodromes. My Department is preparing regulations to transpose Directive 2002-49-EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise which covers, inter alia, major airports with more than 50,000 take-off or landing movements per year. This will require the making of strategic noise maps by 30 June 2007 and action plans to manage noise issues and effects by 18 July 2008. However, the directive specifically excludes take-off or landing movements for training purposes on light aircraft as would, I understand, be mostly the case at Weston Aerodrome.

Notwithstanding that there are no statutory noise limits, I should point out, however, that section 107 of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992 provides local authorities with powers to require measures to be taken to prevent or limit noise from any premises, processes or works. It would be open to the relevant local authority to avail of these powers if it considered that this were necessary.

The granting or refusal of planning permission for an airport or an aerodrome, or for development in the vicinity of an airport or an aerodrome, is a matter for the relevant planning authority under the Planning and Development Act 2000. Under section 34 of that Act a planning authority may impose conditions on a planning permission to reduce or prevent noise emissions or intrusions on a case by case basis. Weston Aerodrome has been operating since 1938, long before the introduction of the planning code and is therefore an authorised development under the planning code.

I understand from the Department of Transport that Weston Aerodrome has introduced recommended procedures for pilots in relation to flight paths and altitudes with a view to limiting the noise impact on residential areas.