Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for Transport further to confirmation by way of reply to Parliamentary Question No. 845 of 25 January 2006 that Aer Rianta operated extensive commercial car parks on the grass area beside the Team Aer Lingus building and close to the threshold of runway 11/29 for a number of summer periods prior to 1 January 1998, the reason his Department allowed such development in the first instance within a supposedly sacrosanct red zone and secondly failed to ensure that Aer Rianta obtained the necessary planning permission for such large-scale commercial development on departmental lands bearing in mind that during the periods in question such unauthorised development was undoubtedly an indictable offence in accordance with section 24(1) of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act 1963 as amended by the 1982 Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3923/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As I said in my reply to Question No. 845 of 25 January 2006, I understand from the Dublin Airport Authority that the use of the area in question for the provision of car parking facilities was an operational decision required to alleviate serious congestion at the airport during peak travel periods. I understand that it was a temporary, emergency measure to cater for overflows from the main car parks during the peak summer season.

This was a normal day-to-day operational matter for Aer Rianta for which it was not considered necessary to seek the approval of the Department. I understand that the only alternative to this short-term expedient would have been for cars to park on the public roads, with the attendant safety implications.