There's calls for the Transport Minister to ensure Dublin airport is prepared for drone sightings.
A no drone zone is in operation at the airport but Senator Neale Richmond wants reassurances from Minister Shane Ross on the issue. It comes after the temporary closure of the departures runway at London Heathrow yesterday evening following a drone sighting.
Senator Richmond says Irish travellers need to know that any possible sightings will be dealt with swiftly. He said: 'For the second time in a matter of weeks, we've seen a British airport brought to a standstill after drone sightings and drone disturbances and I think it's a fair question to ask the Minister for Transport to make sure that Dublin airport and indeed all Irish airports are adequately prepared to deal with something similar.
'In this jurisdiction we already have exclusion zones in operation. The UK are now trialling new anti drone equipment and we need to know the same is being done here in Ireland particular in Dublin airport because the commercial cost in delays and fight cancellations in Gatwick have been massive and we simply can't afford that here.
'It could be an accidental event or it could be done deliberately but we need to ensure our airports are adequately prepared.'
Scotland Yard says it's sent 'significant resources' to Heathrow after the drone disrupted departures there. Officers called in the military following the sighting last night.
