Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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396. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has made inquiries or received assurances from the European Commission that to appoint the IAA as the competent authority under EU Regulation 598/14 would not represent a conflict of interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33422/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Member States, under Regulation 598/2014, are free to establish appropriate domestic mechanisms and arrangements to ensure that the objectives of the Regulation are met.  Article 3 of Regulation 598/2014 prescribes that Member States shall designate one or more Competent Authority responsible for the process to be followed when adopting operating restrictions. This article further states that the Competent Authority shall be independent of any organisation which could be affected by noise-related action adding that this independence may be achieved through functional separation.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) already has well-established functional separation of its safety regulation function and air navigation service provision function. It is envisaged that a separate unit for noise management will be established within the Safety Regulation Division in a manner that ensures that the requirements of the Regulation are complied with. In accordance with Article 3(3) of the Regulation, as soon as the formal designation process is complete, the European Commission will be notified.