2026-01-15

100. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Transport the reason a health research report of April 2025, the health costs report on aircraft noise from Dublin Airport, compiled by a person (details supplied), submitted by Fingal and Meath residents, is being ignored and corrective action avoided, in view of the recent report by the European Environment Agency of 9 January 2026 in the European Heart Journal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3290/26]

My question relates to the health costs report on aircraft noise from Dublin Airport, which was submitted in April 2025, and estimated costs per annum of €800 million. They are significant health costs. How and why is that being ignored in light of the European Environment Agency report in the European Heart Journal of 9 January this year?

I fully acknowledge the impact of aircraft noise. I live beside the airport myself and have lived there my whole life. I represent a community and a constituency that sees the benefits of the airport but also communities that are impacted by it. It is really important that residents' and communities' views are taken into account and that the airport operates a good neighbour policy. I have met with the Deputy and with residents' groups on that and continue to engage with them. It is my understanding that the health costs report on aircraft noise from Dublin Airport that the Deputy is referring to was prepared by PMCA Economic Consulting on behalf of the St Margaret's and The Ward residents' group, and that the report attempts to quantify the health impacts of aircraft noise and the opinions therein. The second report and recently published journal article referenced by the Deputy have not been submitted to my Department. I would like to thank the Deputy for bringing them to my attention. I have asked my officials to consider the contents of the documents and communicate them to the relevant competent authority, the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority, ANCA. The Deputy will be aware the ANCA monitors the aircraft noise climate around Dublin Airport and publishes noise contours that show the geographical impact of aircraft noise on communities around the airport. These contours represent aircraft noise that is averaged over a full year for different periods of the day in a standardised European format. The noise level of individual aircraft events is also available publicly from an extensive network of DAA noise monitors around the airport. Every year, ANCA carries out an assessment of the effectiveness of the noise management measures at the airport and publishes a report on its findings. This is in addition to publishing annual reports by the airport authority on the compliance by airport users with the noise management measures. If regular review or an assessment of the potential impact of development at the airport indicates that new or amended measures are required to manage aircraft noise at the airport, ANCA will facilitate a period of public consultation on draft proposals to address any noise problem or potential noise problem.

I acknowledge the opportunities to meet the Minister. The findings of this European report are stark, estimating 16 premature deaths per 100,000. The information in that report of April 2025 is vitally important. As a matter of correction, in April 2024, ANCA sought noise data information from DAA. It was declined, citing judicial review proceedings, which is wholly inaccurate. That information is vitally important relative to the April report and the more recent report. As the Minister and I both know, there actually is a solution which was put forward by the north runway technical group, namely adherence to the 2007 An Bord Pleanála planning permission for flights departing off the north runway to fly five nautical miles straight out. The reality is that the flights departing from the north runway are turning after 400 m. Simple adherence to the planning permission and the current legislation would solve this problem for 30,000 of the Minister's and my constituents.

I should say that ANCA is currently carrying out an assessment of the noise situation at Dublin Airport and the potential noise impact of planning applications that seek permission for infrastructure and increases to the permitted passenger capacity at the airport. The airport is a critical piece of national infrastructure, we know that. It underpins tens of thousands of jobs. I have always supported airport growth, but that being done in a sustainable manner. The airport has to operate a good neighbour policy and it has not always doe so. I have written to DAA on a number of occasions, including just before Christmas, asking it to further expand noise mitigation measures and looking at further insulation schemes. The Deputy has a very specific matter in her area, as there are communities being overflown now that were not expecting to be overflown. I have been on the public record as saying that airlines and the airport should operate under the granted planning permissions. They are subject of further retention applications now. We want the airport to develop and grow. I will be removing the cap on Dublin Airport. That is important. It must be done in a sustainable way. Communities need to be listened to. On the new report, I have not got it yet but I will make sure it goes to ANCA through the good offices of the Deputy.

Go raibh maith agat arís for the reply. This is a matter of absolute importance. There is no denying the economic benefit and employment opportunities for an island nation in connecting people, goods and places. The good neighbour policy and the mission statement of the DAA board is being completely ignored when there is a viable solution. The capacity for flight path resolution is probably not within AirNav, but Bratislava is well capable and is amply employed by other jurisdictions in constructing flight paths. Again, it probably should not even have to go to Bratislava, if the conditions of the 2007 planning permission are met. I can even show the Minister graphically here, and he probably has the information already, what is happening versus what was planned. There is a so-called environmental corridor, which is a term that was created by the DAA, but it was never approved. There are multiple issues here but we have solutions that were offered almost a year ago. I appreciate the Minister's input.

All of us, including the Government, want the airport to continue to grow in a sustainable way. I want the false inhibitors to that growth, such as the airport cap brought in in 2007-08, to be removed. I will bring forward legislation to Cabinet very shortly. We want to get that through the Dáil as quickly as we can. That does not override concerns of residents. I grew up beside the airport and I see its benefits. People understand there will be a level of noise that people do get used to, but for those in close proximity, particularly to the western part, the opening of the new parallel runway has been a major change for them and other communities. I have asked for noise insulation to be further expanded, which it will be. As one example, we spent €23 million last year on buying homes and insulating homes and schools to date. A total of 227 homes were eligible of which 204 have been completed. That is not a bad outturn. The expedited noise insulation grant increased by 50% to €30,000, which will now be available to over 1,000 homes. I continue to engage with the DAA directly on that. We will bring in mitigation measures for those who are impacted. There will be some properties close to the airport for which the voluntary purchase scheme needs to be improved. I have asked for that too. I will continue to work with the Deputy. I thank her for her constructive approach on this important matter.