Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

What the Deputy has said is true. It would be a great pity if preparation was not made for metro north coming to Dublin Airport but that provision is being made. As I stated, the plans are advanced and a specific area has been set to one side. This is bearing in mind that Dublin Airport is experiencing a strong and sustainable return to growth. Traffic in 2015 alone grew by 15%, from 21.7 million passengers in 2014 to just over 25 million, making it the second-fastest growing airport in the European Union in 2015, growing at three times the EU average. The airport has developed and is successfully implementing a hub strategy that has made it the sixth most important hub for connectivity to North America, ahead of such competing airports as Rome, Munich and Zürich.

A significant number of public and private bus and coach operators are licensed to provide services linking the airport with the city and other suburban regional centres throughout the country, and current demand for public transport services is well catered for at the moment by these operators. In the medium to longer term, the new programme for Government includes a commitment to proceed with the metro scheme linking Dublin Airport with the city centre and Swords. Funding is being made available under the capital plan for planning, design and commencement of construction of the new metro north scheme with a view to delivering the link by 2026 to 2027. The national aviation policy also confirms that access to the airports will be taken into account during the development of surface transport programmes in line with the Department's strategic framework for investment in land transport.

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