1,200 sign petition to clamp down on unregulated drones in Dublin 15
1,200 sign petition to clamp down on unregulated drones in Dublin 15 - The Labour Party
- Effective regulation of drones is long overdue, say Labour representatives
Labour’s Councillor John Walsh in Dublin West has called for immediate Government action to regulate drone deliveries after the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) granted a three-year licence to Manna to operate a delivery service in Dublin 15. In the absence of national legislation, the rapid rollout of this service is having a damaging impact on the quality of life for local communities. Together with Cllr Mary McCamley, Cllr Walsh launched a local community petition calling for proper regulation of drone deliveries, Our Skies, Our Say and this week the petition reached 1200 signatures.
Cllr Walsh welcomed the level of public support for the petition:
“This highlights the level of concern among local communities in Dublin 15 who feel they have been used as guinea pigs for a new drone delivery service – these 1,200 people have direct experience of the unrestricted expansion of a drone delivery service which is not adequately regulated either at local or national level. The Government has buried its head in the sand, while the IAA has made clear that it has no role in addressing nuisance to residents, excessive noise or frequency of drone flights. That leaves a major legal loophole. The reality is that drones are now flying over family homes every day in Dublin 15 with no national guidance, inadequate privacy safeguards, and no restriction on the frequency of flights.
“But this is not just a local issue, national regulation has dramatically lagged behind new technology here. A professional in the field told me that it is as easy to buy a drone as a toaster and yet there are no national rules for drones or the drone delivery service even as attempts are being made to expand drone deliveries across Dublin. Fundamentally we have seen deliberate inaction and foot-dragging by Government – the Department of Transport has been allowed to stall a new planning framework for drones for almost three years. That is why I and my Labour colleagues launched the ‘Our Skies, Our Say’ petition to demand action from the Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien TD.
“Government must listen to local communities in Dublin 15 and introduce consistent, transparent regulation of drone technology and protect our communities. I am calling on the Government to step up, regulate this sector properly, and make sure our communities are heard.”
ENDS
The petition Our Skies Our Say can be viewed here:
https://www.change.org/p/our-skies-our-say-restrict-drones-in-dublin-15-now