Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The national planning framework is our guiding light in many different ways, particularly in the context of transport. It states we need to get better balanced regional development, more compact development and low-carbon development. When it comes to aviation, as is the case with every other sector, it serves the interests of our country to see more balanced development of aviation services, in particular in the main international airports in Knock, Shannon and Cork, as well as Dublin. That benefits Dublin. Again, if Dublin generates and brings in all of the traffic and passengers, the city will not be able to cope as it is growing so fast. We absolutely require better balanced regional development, including in our airports. That is obviously a key policy objective. Delivery of that is not as easy. I do not believe we should turn back to the days of the Shannon stopover or other mechanisms whereby one airport is restricted in order to try to advance another. However, we have to be careful that we do not see what might be called predatory pricing or other trade effects to try to make sure that Dublin gets business ahead of Shannon, particularly if Shannon is close to closing a deal. I would not like to see Dublin Airport coming in and scooping it at the last minute. There has been some experience of that in the past. I say that with regret, but it is something we now need to avoid at all costs.

The issue of the cap in Dublin Airport in truth does not relate to aviation policy, but to ground transport. The cap was introduced in 2007. There were similar concerns in previous planning permission for terminal 1. However, in the provision of planning permission for the development of terminal 2 in 2007, An Bord Pleanála was concerned about congestion on the M1, the M50 and the access roads to the airport. This was with good cause because in the previous year, An Bord Pleanála had given permission for the widening of the M50. The analysis presented at that, which I happened to attend for the full three weeks, was clear. Even with the widening of the M50, it would have been at full capacity by, I think, 2015 or 2018.

Any additional traffic brought onto it would have led to a significant deterioration in the performance of the road infrastructure. That was the reason the cap was put in place. There are various moving parts to this, depending on how many people access the airport by bus versus road, taxi and so on. I am confident we will see the metro being delivered, which will have an impact on that. In the first instance, it is up to Fingal County Council, and an Bord Pleanála if called upon, to assess the cap. My expectation is that their assessment would be based on land transport issues rather than aviation or the national policy.

I hear the Deputy's concern. I do not think the cap materially impacts on things one way or the other. There is a wider issue as to how we see the progression of development for the likes of Shannon Airport. The latter has had a successful year. It was not just the airport that was successful, it was also the industrial estate. That, too, has been incredibly successful in attracting business and providing employment. It is not as if in this current environment Cork, Shannon and Knock are not performing - they are. They are coming back from Covid with significant growth.