Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 648: To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 495 of 29 November 2005, if the Snow report in question at paragraph 4.1.2 unequivocally acknowledges that there are no two-dimensional public safety zones in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Spain or France; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6571/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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At paragraph 4.1.2 the Snow report states that in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Spain and France development can be prohibited close to runways on environmental, that is, noise grounds only and that as such public safety zones do not exist and limitations relate to the ICAO recommended standards for obstacle limitations as set out in Annex 14.

In the case of Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, red safety areas were first adopted following a review in 1992 by Aer Rianta, on behalf of the Department of Defence, of policy in relation to safety zones at the aerodrome and were introduced to ensure the safe and unobstructed operation of air traffic to and from Casement Aerodrome. International Civil Aviation Organisation standards and recommendations in relation to obstacle limitation surfaces for airports as well as considerations in regard to public safety in the vicinity of the aerodrome were taken into account in determining the size and shape of the red safety areas at Casement Aerodrome. The Snow report prepared in 1999 recommended in the case of Casement Aerodrome that the approach areas be retained for security and safety reasons because of the large proportion of training, including single engine-solo flights by inexperienced pilots, carried out at the aerodrome.