Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
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68. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for dealing with EU Regulation 598 regarding airport noise, with particular reference to the competent authority to deal with the issue and the need for the independence of this function. [21979/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​The arrangements for the implementation of this EU Regulation are being discussed between my Department and the Attorney General's Office. A Statutory Instrument will be necessary to give practical effect to this new EU Regulation  Although the subject matter of the Regulation - the implementation of the Balanced Approach from the International Civil Aviation Organisation setting out the process to be followed when introducing noise-related operating restrictions at EU airports - is predominantly an aviation transport issue, there are land-use planning and management considerations which are germane to my colleague the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government.  That Department is accordingly also contributing to current discussions.

No decision has yet been made in relation to the designation of the Competent Authority.  The EU Regulation requires that competent authorities shall be independent of any organisation which could be affected by noise-related action. This requirement for independence, which may be achieved through a functional separation, is clearly motivated by the need to ensure no conflicts of interest in decision-making.