Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Permission for the new runway, which will be built 1.6 km north of the current runway, was originally granted in 2007 with 31 conditions attached. The economic downturn and the subsequent fall in passenger numbers coming through the airport saw the plans put on hold. Passenger numbers at the airport have grown substantially in recent years and the new runway is expected to be completed in 2020 at cost of some €320 million. The Dublin Airport Authority has said some of the conditions for the project in the planning permission were obstacles. While the plan has been welcomed solely on an economic basis, there is a serious need to work with the local community and to ensure the plan is environmentally sound and that public transport services to the airport will be adequate to meet demand. The plan has heightened awareness of difficulties for residents who may be affected by associated noise pollution and this problem of noise pollution is just one of the very real issues residents have to deal with. The DAA must be very conscious of this issue, given it could be mitigated somewhat by supporting installation work where needed in estates close to the runway, as well as by noise barriers.

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