Written answers
Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Air Safety
Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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67. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a complete breakdown of the cost incurred by drone disturbance in the past two years in Dublin Airport; the amount of this cost that has been covered by the State; if counter-drone technology is now operational; the estimated amount that anti-drone technology will cost on a yearly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25146/23]
Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The costs associated with the disturbance to aviation operations at Dublin airport caused by illegal drone activity at the airport are a matter for the airport operator, daa, and the airlines affected. As these are commercial matters, my Department does not have access to those costs.
daa is expediting the deployment of additional counter drone technology to complement the already functioning drone detection system at the airport. The deployment of counter drone technology at Dublin airport is a complex operation and the technology needs to be deployed and operated safely.
daa is engaging extensively with the relevant safety regulators. Testing of the equipment is ongoing, and all agencies concerned are working as quickly as possible to conclude their assessment of the equipment and its deployment. This due diligence is necessary from a safety perspective and has been done in every other State where counter drone technology has been deployed.
The cost of operating the counter drone technology is a matter for daa, the aerodrome operator. There is no cost to the exchequer.
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