Gareth Scahill (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like my colleagues, I acknowledge all of the community groups nationwide that put on such wonderful parades over the weekend to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and also the public representatives who travelled internationally representing us and promoting our country and our culture. I also wish to raise the issue of the passenger number cap at Dublin Airport and how we are limiting the potential of our country at present by inhibiting people visiting it. Dublin Airport is an outlier among other European countries at present, as our figures for 2025 visiting are stagnant while every other capital city in Europe is seeing an increase in visitor numbers through their airports. It is not acceptable. It is something that we have to address. I am asking that the Minister for Transport address the House and to have a discussion on this particular issue. I spoke with a hospitality business only yesterday and while it had an exceptionally good weekend in terms of trade, it was 25% down on trade this time last year. The business owner is solely placing the blame for that on the passenger numbers coming into Dublin Airport at present.

While I have a moment, I would like to acknowledge two female boxers, Lisa and Aoife O'Rourke, from Castlerea in Roscommon, who achieved silver medals in the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships over the weekend, and recognise their achievement.