Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has said that keeping the current passenger limit at Dublin Airport in place would hinder its ability to grow, reports RTE.
The Department of Transport is set to begin the process of lifting the annual passenger limit at the airport in the coming weeks.
The current cap—32 million passengers per year—was introduced in 2007 as a planning condition when Terminal 2 was developed, reports RTE.
At that time, the airport was handling around 23 million passengers annually.
Ongoing legal action by airlines has put the enforcement of the cap on hold, with questions about it now referred to European courts.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr O’Brien described the airport as a “critical economic driver for the country, not just for the region,” and warned that “any stifling of that growth obviously has a direct economic impact,” reports RTE.
“I’ve had a series of meetings over the course of the last number of months, particularly with our legal advisors, and I’ll be coming forward to Cabinet, hopefully before the Budget, with legislative options that is in seeking approval to proceed with drafting Heads of Bill and the general scheme,” he said, reports RTE.
Mr O’Brien said he supports lifting the cap, which could eventually allow the airport to handle up to 60 million passengers annually—if that expansion is done in a sustainable way.
“You have obviously got to do that on a phased basis. One is not going to jump from 36 million to 60 million in the course of one, five, ten years,” he said, reports RTE.
He pointed to some “very significant planning decisions” that had already been taken.
“The night flights issue has been addressed in July, which gives clarity to the airport and indeed to residents around the operation of the airport at night,” he said, reports RTE.
“We’re expecting, very, very shortly in the coming weeks, a positive decision on Metrolink, which is a transformative project for the airport, and indeed for the region,” reports RTE.
He added that the airport’s surrounding infrastructure has changed significantly since 2007, and will continue to evolve.
Mr O’Brien acknowledged that removing the cap would “unquestionably” result in higher greenhouse gas emissions, but stressed that the aviation industry has a role to play in tackling that, reports RTE.
“What also is in that \[planning] application, and which is understood in the aviation sector, is the responsibilities they have to bring forward the use of alternative fuels, such as SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel),” he said, reports RTE.
“Airplanes are far more advanced technologically now and are more efficient in relation to fuel use. We have obligations on the climate side and I’m acutely aware of that as Minister with responsibility for that. We’ve seen emissions reduce over the last two years in Ireland, whilst our economy and population continues to grow. So we’re making advances in many areas, and this is a balance that we will have to strike,” reports RTE.
Mr O’Brien also said he had already met with a number of local community groups to hear their concerns.
“I have met with the residents group from St Margaret’s over the summer,” he said, reports RTE.
“I’ll be meeting with them again. I’ve met with residents in Portmarnock. I know the area intimately as I’ve spent my whole life here. I also know that there are many residents here who understand we need to grow the airport, and indeed a lot of those residents do, and there are others who have concerns and I continue to engage with them, absolutely,” reports RTE.
Cathal Crowe, a member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, said it has long been clear that the cap at Dublin Airport would eventually be lifted.
The Fianna Fáil TD noted that the aviation industry demands predictability, and that airlines may relocate if they feel they’re not being properly accommodated.
He said during an interview on RTÉ’s Today with Claire Byrne that while legislation will take time, it is likely to be passed sometime in 2025, reports RTE.
Mr Crowe also said that aircraft technology has improved significantly, with ongoing efforts to make aviation more environmentally sustainable.
He emphasised that, as an island nation, Ireland depends on air connectivity for economic progress.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman said that if the cap is to be lifted, it opens the door to reconsider how Dublin Airport’s activity is regulated, reports RTE.
He suggested that focusing on emissions and noise—rather than passenger numbers—could incentivise airlines to modernise their fleets.
“We have to understand the scale of what Minister O’Brien is proposing, and we should be regulating Dublin Airport in terms of what is generated by increased passenger numbers,” he said on Today with Claire Byrne, reports RTE.
“Focusing on the actual emission of the passenger brings a greater degree of fairness into the equation,” he added, reports RTE.
Niamh Maher, a spokesperson for the St Margaret’s The Ward Residents Forum, said that more flights will inevitably lead to more noise, and current noise issues have yet to be resolved.
She said residents are “incredulous” that the Minister would consider removing the cap without first addressing these concerns.
“The problem extends past St Margaret’s The Ward to everywhere a flight path crosses over,” she said, reports RTE.
“If there’s an increase in passenger numbers, which equals increased flights, that is going to get even worse,” she added, reports RTE.
Tell us your thoughts in the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
