Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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188. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to significant delays for passengers on the ground side of Dublin Airport (details supplied); and his plans to assist the Dublin Airport Authority to process persons in a more efficient manner in advance of the summer holiday season. [17480/22]

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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196. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the efforts his Department is making to alleviate the chronic delays to passengers going through security at Dublin Airport; if consideration has been given to requesting support from the Defence Forces or State agencies as an interim measure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17629/22]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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202. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has spoken recently with the CEO of the Dublin Airport Authority regarding the lengthy delays being experienced at the security baggage area at Dublin Airport; and the immediate steps being taken to resolve this issue. [17713/22]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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210. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his recent engagements with the Dublin Airport Authority in relation to the unacceptable delays that passengers are facing to transit through security in Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17856/22]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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211. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the Dublin Airport Authority has requested additional funding for security staff or funding to upgrade the security screening systems in Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17857/22]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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214. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the communication he has had with Dublin Airport Authority to resolve staffing issues at security clearance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17904/22]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 196, 202, 210, 211 and 214 together.

daa is a commercial state company funded through its own resources and has not sought funding for security staff or funding to upgrade the security screening systems in Dublin Airport.

I have met with and had briefings from the CEO, Dalton Philips, and other senior staff over the last week where I expressed concern at the current situation relating to security screening and the impact the delays are having on passengers. I have established a daily crisis management meeting between the Department and daa to monitor the situation.

The company has undertaken significant work to mitigate the security queue times at Dublin Airport. It has put in place a number of measures including establishing a senior management taskforce; stepping up recruitment efforts; redeployment of staff where possible; opening security lanes on a 24/7 basis, and enhancing communications with passengers. These measures made a difference last weekend compared to the previous weekend, with 95% of passengers through T2 on Sunday having a queue time of less than 30 minutes and 100% less than 45 minutes. The comparable passenger queue times for T1 on Sunday were 82% at less than 30 minutes and 97% at less than 45 minutes.

The company has also recruited over 100 new security staff recently and this should assist in the alleviation of the excessive queue times over the coming period. These security staff are being deployed following the necessary training.

Dublin Airport is planning for a significant increase in passenger volumes this coming weekend and into the Easter holidays. It does note that this increase will present a considerable challenge. Management is reviewing the experience of last weekend to further develop and refine measures to cater for the increased passenger numbers. I will continue to monitor the situation over the coming days and weeks and continue to engage with daa to ensure that all that can be done is being done for passengers using Dublin Airport.