Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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270. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to give an update on his Department’s meeting with the developer of the search and rescue service at Weston Airport, to address concerns of the Air Corps in relation to the need to prevent unauthorised penetrations of military airspace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62037/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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At the outset, the Deputy should be note that my Department's role in this matter pertains to a planning condition applied by the planning authority. It is, in the first instance, a matter for the planning authority to apply and enforce such planning conditions. My Department has no role in relation to planning enforcement.

In line with conditions set out in the planning authority's decision, relevant Department officials and members of the Irish Air Corps have attended three (3) in-person meetings with Dublin Weston Airport and the developer of the search and rescue (SAR) service at the airport in 2025. The purpose of those meetings was to improve understanding in relation to the operation of the SAR service from Weston and the potential impact on Casement Aerodrome.