Green Party Councillor secures support for drone regulation

A Green Party motion calling for the Chief Executive to write to the Irish Aviation Authority to express Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s interest in the development of drone regulations was passed unanimously at December’s County Council meeting. 

Green group leader and Spokesperson for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Councillor Robert Jones (Dundrum) who tabled the motion said: “Our Council needs to put our hand up and ensure that the Irish Aviation Authority and the Department of Transport know that Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown want to be one of the local authorities at the forefront in developing national policy in this area and feeding into the promised regulation in this space.

“Under EU law, Ireland is required to designate what are known as ‘U-space’ areas - controlled airspace designed specifically for drones. These zones are meant to balance innovation with safety, privacy and noise management. In practice, however, they risk being drawn up with minimal local input, allowing commercial drone operators broad access to suburban and urban airspace without the consent or protection of the communities beneath them.

“This goes to the heart of an issue that has caused genuine and growing anxiety in my own community in Dundrum, the potential arrival of commercial drone deliveries over residential areas, without any meaningful regulation of key issues of concern, consultation, or assessment of their impact on quality of life."

“It is my view that the Government’s new Unmanned Aircraft System Policy Framework is not a balanced or community-led document. It is a policy drafted with the priorities of the industry in mind, particularly those in the commercial delivery sector. It gives the appearance of innovation while neglecting the social and environmental consequences of the technology it enables.”