339. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Transport the measures in place to prevent potential drone attacks at Irish airports. [61293/26]

My department has responsibility for civil aviation and safety is the top priority in this area. All airports in the State with commercial traffic are required to have procedures in place to deal with the safety risk posed by illegal drone activity. The procedures are developed in accordance with guidance on managing drone safety risk issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. Safety critical areas are defined, interagency response procedures are put in place, and a risk assessment must be maintained at each of our airports as part of their certification by the Irish Aviation Authority.

Following incidents of careless and reckless drone use that caused disruption at Dublin airport in early 2023, daa put in place a range of additional measures to counter illegal drone activity. This includes a re-examination and updating of its standard operating procedures when drones are detected, an upgrade to its drone detection systems, a review of the safety critical area at the airport and the deployment of counter drone technology. The counter drone technology was deployed following a Government Decision on the matter and when the necessary approvals and licences were secured from the Irish Aviation Authority and ComReg. All relevant bodies at Dublin Airport now cooperate effectively to tackle illegal drone use and the disruption to operations encountered in early 2023 has not been repeated.

These measures, and broader arrangements by airport authorities, air navigation service providers and carriers to ensure the safety of the travelling public, would operate in the context of a broader state-led response in the event of more co-ordinated hybrid action. That broader state readiness is enhanced by the growing counter drone capability of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces.