Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 656: To ask the Minister for Defence if there are no plans to turn Baldonnel into a civilian airport. [24048/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, is the principal base of the Air Corps. With the withdrawal of aircraft from Gormanston and the relocation of Air Corps headquarters to Baldonnel as outlined in the White Paper on Defence, the Air Corps has the basis for better management of its resources. Baldonnel will continue to be the centre of military aviation in Ireland.

Periodic interest by the private sector has been expressed during the past decade as to the use of Casement Aerodrome for civil aviation purposes. The establishment of facilities for civil aviation purposes is primarily a matter for the Minister for Transport. Under the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993, however, military aerodromes are precluded from regulation by the Irish Aviation Authority. Only the regulation of military aviation activities at military aerodromes comes within my remit.

Before any consideration can be given to having commercial aviation at Baldonnel it would be necessary to bring Casement Aerodrome within the licensing and regulatory control of the Irish Aviation Authority, which would require an amendment to section 3 of the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993. This is a matter for consideration in the first instance by the Minister for Transport.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 657: To ask the Minister for Defence the communications that have taken place in the past 12 months between his Department and the owners of Weston Aerodrome regarding the impact of the Weston development on flights from Baldonnel or any other matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24049/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The manager of Weston Airport wrote to my Department in July 2004 concerning, inter alia, the likely impact of the proposed development of the Weston Aerodrome on military airspace and seeking authorisations in this regard. It was considered inappropriate for my Department to enter into formal discussions with Weston until such a time as Weston Airport secures the necessary planning permission for the proposed development and this was notified to the Irish Aviation Authority in writing by my Department and copied to the manager of Weston Airport.

I am advised the Air Corps has had informal communications with Weston management within the past 12 months. However, all such communication has ceased pending receipt by Weston of the relevant planning permission and approvals.