Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 320: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 534 of 13 May 2008, the reason for the delay on the part of his Department in finalising draft planning guidelines on public safety zones around Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports in view of the fact that the emergency risk management report on this matter was published on 8 March 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19348/10]

Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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I am advised that the designation of public safety zones around Dublin, Cork and Shannon Airports requires primary legislation. The mechanism by which these legislative changes can be introduced is under consideration by my Department in consultation with the Department of Transport and the Office of the Attorney General.

It has been the practice since 1968 to limit development in areas known as "red zones" around the 3 state airports of Dublin, Cork and Shannon, for reasons both of air navigation safety and public safety. In 2000, my Department and the Department of Transport jointly commissioned Environment Resource Management (ERM) Consultants to review the issue of public safety on the ground around the major airports, based on up to date scientific practice. In assessing this matter, ERM used recent advances in risk modelling techniques.

The impact on land-use was investigated by ERM Consultants with the assistance of the County Councils of Clare, Cork and Fingal, and the City Council of Cork. It was found that there would be no changes required to existing land-use around Cork, Dublin and Shannon airports, and only minor alterations required to relevant city/county development plans.

I understand that development objectives and designations for the proposed public safety zones around the 3 state airports have been incorporated into the development plans and where applicable local area plans of the relevant local authorities, in anticipation of legislation being introduced.