Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) is the competent authority for aviation safety regulation in Ireland, as provided for under the Irish Aviation Authority Act 1993 and officials in my Department have engaged with it on this issue. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) defines an obstacle, outside the airspace defined by aerodrome obstacle limitation surfaces, as an object with a height greater than 100 metres above ground level. Based on an assessment, the IAA may require these obstacles to be marked and/or fitted with obstacle lighting. In general, all wind farm developments require certain wind turbines within the wind farm to be marked and/or fitted with obstacle lighting.

It is the relevant Planning Authority that issue the planning decision with prescribed conditions, which may include the requirement to engage with the IAA to agree an appropriate marking and /or marking scheme. The maintenance of such warning lighting is the responsibility of the operator/owner of the obstacle. The IAA may take enforcement action against the operator/owner of the obstacle if the agreed marking and/or lighting scheme is not implemented.

The IAA is the Competent Authority for the transposition of international standards and recommended practices produced by ICAO. Additionally, it has responsibility for the implementation of European aviation safety regulation which is generally authored by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). To date, no international regulation or guidelines have been developed in relation to aircraft detection lighting systems, which is a relatively new technology. The IAA will consider any regulation or international best practice that becomes established in this context.