People living near Dublin Airport have expressed frustration over the approval to increase the volume of night-time flights, saying it will “subject thousands of people to unnecessary noise and pollution”, reports RTE.
Permission has been granted for Dublin Airport to increase the number of night flights it can handle, along with extending the operational hours of its second runway.
The permitted number of nightly flights across the airport has risen from an average of 65 to 95, operating between 11pm and 7am, reports RTE.
Previously, flights were banned from taking off or landing on the second, or north, runway during those hours, but the new approval allows use until midnight and from 6am onward.
In a statement released this afternoon, St Margaret’s The Ward Residents Group said: “What makes this approval particularly egregious is that the flight paths could have been routed over uninhabited solar panel fields, which have been lying barren for over 20 years in anticipation of authorised flight paths, reports RTE.
“Instead, the decision intentionally subjects thousands of people to unnecessary noise and pollution, which could have been easily avoided.
“This decision is reckless, short-sighted, and harmful.
“The repercussions of this decision extend far beyond the communities of St. Margaret’s and The Ward. Areas such as Malahide, Kinsealy, and Portmarnock will experience a vast increase in night-time flights,” added the residents’ group statement, reports RTE.
Dublin Airport, however, said a Noise Quota Scheme would be in place, which limits the kind of aircraft operating at night based on how loud they are.
Planes that exceed a specific noise threshold won’t be allowed to fly in or out during those hours, reports RTE.
An Comisiún Pleanála stated that it was placing a restriction of 35,672 night-time flights to “protect residential amenity”.
It said this cap would allow the airport to grow while still preventing too much overnight disruption.
The Commission explained that both a cap and a noise quota were imposed because using only a quota “could permit an increase in the number of night-time flights, without adequately considering the cumulative impact of increased flight volume on surrounding communities and environment”, reports RTE.
In September, there was confusion across the transport sector when the Commission’s draft decision appeared to contradict itself.
It initially said it was extending night-time operations by two hours and replacing the flight cap with an annual noise quota, reports RTE.
Yet it also proposed capping flights between 11pm and 7am at 13,000 per year and limiting use of the North Runway to departures only between 6-8am.
The daa, which manages the airport, said the draft would have cut average night-time flights to around 35, far below the 65 previously permitted, reports RTE.
Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton described the proposal as “absolute madness”, unworkable and highly damaging to airline operations.
Groups including Ibec, Chambers Ireland, the Irish Exporters’ Association, Enterprise Ireland and the Irish Aviation Authority also raised objections.
The draft ruling by An Comisiún Pleanála followed appeals by local residents and Friends of the Irish Environment. They were contesting a 2022 decision from the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority — a body within Fingal County Council — to loosen night-flight restrictions, reports RTE.
Ongoing uncertainty around these flights has become a sticking point in the broader discussion on lifting the passenger cap at Dublin Airport.
There have been repeated calls to eliminate the long-standing 32 million annual passenger limit, introduced 18 years ago with planning permission for the new terminal, reports RTE.
Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien, who also represents the area where the airport is located, said he’s seeking legal guidance from the Attorney General on whether legislation could be used to lift the cap.
Niamh Maher, representing St Margaret’s The Ward Residents Group, said the new approval fails to account for the real impact of aircraft noise on nearby communities, reports RTE.
Ms Maher, who lives under the North Runway flight path, said the increase in night activity will disturb sleep and that the decision neglects to consider the health risks of ongoing noise exposure.
While still reviewing the decision, daa, the airport’s operator, said it welcomes the outcome from An Comisiún Pleanála, reports RTE.
While the North Runway remains off-limits for take-offs or landings during night-time, its usable hours are now extended from 6am until midnight — two hours longer than before, according to daa.
“This unlocks more efficient utilisation of this vital national infrastructure which future-proofs Dublin Airport’s capacity to manage further passenger growth,” it added, reports RTE.
The operator also said this clarity eliminates a major hurdle to its Infrastructure Application, which requests permission for extensive upgrades in sustainability and key facilities at the airport.
“The IA also seeks permission to increase the annual number of passengers to 40 million, in line with national aviation policy, the Fingal Development Plan and the Dublin Airport Local Area Plan,” it added, reports RTE.
daa CEO Kenny Jacobs said the North Runway is essential for the airport’s expansion, which is needed to keep up with growing population and economic demands.
“We invested hundreds of millions in a second runway to benefit Ireland but have been hamstrung in using it effectively since it opened,” Mr Jacobs said.
“We welcome the clarity today’s decision brings which removes uncertainty for Dublin Airport and the airlines, as well as having a positive impact on jobs and investment in Ireland,” he said, reports RTE.
“However, we are disappointed with the night-time movements cap which is on top of a noise quota. We also reaffirm our clear commitment to engaging with the local community to mitigate the impact of airport operations and have already begun to implement the noise insulation grant scheme,” he said, reports RTE.
“Today’s decision is also key to unlocking the block preventing Fingal County Council from progressing our application to build the piers and stands needed to enable Dublin Airport to grow to 40 million passengers a year,” Kenny Jacobs said.
“We will work with FCC to enable a decision on the IA before the end of the year. We need to start building – that’s our biggest issue and we need planning permission to do that”, he added, reports RTE.
Mr Jacobs also said the daa welcomes the Government’s commitment to resolving the airport cap issue and look forward to confirmation of their legislative proposal to remove the outdated cap this autumn.
“At a time of great global economic uncertainty, taking bold, ambitious steps is essential for our small, open, island economy and sets Ireland up for the future,” he concluded, reports RTE.
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