Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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22. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 266 of 29 September 2016, his views on the planned timeframe for implementation of the legislation regarding the establishment of the competent authority to deal with EU Regulation 598/2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32771/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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​As I indicated to the Deputy on 29 September, 2016, in response to Question No. 266 on that date, legislation is currently being prepared in my Department, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General.  It is the objective to complete this secondary legislation by the end of this year.

The transposition of the requirements of Regulation 598 of 2014 relating to the process to be followed when considering the introduction of airport noise operating restrictions is complex and the planned end-year timeframe takes account of this.

A number of important areas will require to be addressed in the Statutory Instrument. These include, for example:

- the designation of the Irish Aviation Authority as Competent Authority with  the requisite powers to implement the Regulation in Ireland;

- providing for appropriate collaborative working arrangements between the IAA and other statutory bodies that have roles and expertise relating to noise management (notably An Bord Pleanála, Fingal County Council and the Environmental Protection Agency);

- providing for robust consultation requirements with all other key stakeholders including in particular environmental authorities, local residents and business interests; and also

- providing for the ongoing monitoring and enforcement activities, in order to provide, in particular, assurance of satisfactory compliance with the airport noise management regime in Ireland.

I consider that the end-year timeframe is appropriate for the finalisation of arrangements covering these and other aspects of Regulation 598 of 2014.  It is then hoped that the Body will be up and running in early 2017.