Written answer
Dublin Airport Authority
The Minister said 205 homes received €10.5 million in insulation, with eligibility permanently retained despite changing flight patterns and subsequent reviews.
125. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Transport the reason €20 million was spent by Dublin Airport Authority insulating homes in the noise preferential route of the North runway when these homes are not being flown over since August 2023. [67017/26]
Comment on this
I want to begin by assuring the Deputy that I fully acknowledge the impact that aircraft noise can have on those living and working in the vicinity of Dublin Airport.
That said, it is important to note that, as Minister, I do not have a role in determining the criteria for the insulation or buyout schemes operated by daa.
The Residential Noise Insulation Scheme was established in advance of the opening of the North Runway in accordance with the relevant planning conditions. To determine eligibility, a revised noise forecast prepared for the opening of the North Runway was combined with the original planning forecast to identify homes expected to experience aircraft noise above the qualifying threshold. The combined noise contour was approved by Fingal County Council.
It is also important to note that once a dwelling is deemed eligible for the scheme, it remains permanently eligible, regardless of any subsequent changes in operational patterns or noise exposure levels.
As the Deputy will appreciate, forecasting is an essential element of infrastructure planning and is based on the best information available at the time, although actual operational patterns may vary from forecast assumptions.
The scheme is reviewed every two years using actual operational data. The first review was completed in 2024 using data from summer 2023 operations, while the most recent review was completed earlier this year using data from summer 2025.
These reviews resulted in additional dwellings becoming eligible for the scheme. They also found that some dwellings initially predicted to fall within the qualifying noise contour were not exposed to noise levels to the extent originally forecast. Nevertheless, under the terms of the scheme, those dwellings retained their eligibility.
It is my understanding that, since the scheme was introduced by the daa, residential noise insulation works have been completed in 205 dwellings at a total cost of approximately €10.5 million.