Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, holds statutory responsibility for the management, operation and development of Dublin Airport, including the north runway project. Passenger traffic at Dublin Airport in 2016 increased to almost 28 million, making it the second fastest growing airport in the EU in 2016, growing at three times the EU average. The airport is now the fifth most important European hub for connectivity to North America, ahead of such competing airports as Rome, Munich and Zürich.

New capacity at Dublin Airport is essential to meet growing demand and delivery of the runway is urgently required to minimise constraints on service expansion. The north runway project is a critical piece of airport infrastructure which will ensure Ireland's international connectivity into the future. Moreover, despite the challenges presented by Brexit and the wider international geopolitical uncertainty, international aviation associations forecast demand for air travel to nearly double over the next two decades. Ireland, as an island and a small, open economy, must be well placed to expand our connections with the rest of the world. Failure to build the runway now would incur the loss of a major economic opportunity for Ireland to support trade, foreign direct investment and tourism. Increased costs, more delays and more congestion at Dublin Airport would offer reduced service levels for the travelling public.

Work on the project has commenced with the runway scheduled to be operational in 2020. On 6 March, Fingal County Council approved an extension to the time limit of the planning permission in relation to the second parallel runway. As I am sure the Deputy will be aware, this is a very sensitive issue because it is now the subject of judicial review proceedings taken by local residents against Fingal County Council and the State and is listed for hearing in the Commercial Court in October. It would be inappropriate, therefore, for me to comment any further on the issue to which these proceedings refer. Whereas there are constraints on that, the enthusiasm of the Government, me and my Department, and everyone in the House for this runway is undiminished.

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