Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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107. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has examined the potential impact on tourism numbers of the many difficulties facing Dublin Airport in recent years, including the caps, and queues, due to staff shortages and airline strikes. [36755/24]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, tourism matters are under the remit of my government colleague the Minister for Tourism. However, in relation to the matters raised regarding Dublin Airport, I can advise the deputy that increasing capacity at Dublin Airport is in line with the National Aviation Policy which recognises the strategic importance of Dublin Airport to meeting national social and economic policy goals. The NAP includes an objective to develop Dublin Airport as a secondary hub airport. I wish to assure the Deputy that the passenger cap at Dublin Airport is a planning related issue, rather than a policy-based issue.

I am undertaking a series of engagements with key stakeholders (airlines, airports, regulators, business and tourism groups) to discuss ways in which the impact of this constraint may be limited. This process is reaching a conclusion and I will then consider any next steps.

My objective is to ensure that connectivity to and from Ireland can continue to grow and that the impact of the constraints at Dublin Airport can be mitigated where possible. While the impact of the current constraint in terms of future growth at Dublin Airport is recognised, it is important to note that there are no capacity constraints at Ireland’s other State Airports.

While there may be a slight reduction in capacity next summer, Dublin Airport will remain a very well served airport in terms of connections for passengers, tourists and businesses. This summer, for example, Dublin Airport’s passengers had a choice of more than 2,600 flights per week to hundreds of destinations all around the world. Almost half of the weekly flights on offer were to 125 cities and summer holiday destinations around Europe. In terms of other long-haul connections to the USA for example, over 210 weekly flights were available to cities including Boston, Chicago, Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles – as well as Denver - a brand new US destination for 2024.

There is evidence which shows that there is demand from Irish people to travel from our other State Airports in Shannon and Cork, and our other regional airports like Ireland West Airport Knock and Kerry Airport, and for tourists to arrive directly into the regions, when these services are provided. You may be interested to know that passenger numbers are up 9% across our regional airports last year and 7% so far this year. Cork airport alone is up 11%.

Government recognises that significant economic and social benefits are derived from facilitating access to and from our regions. Our national aviation policy seeks to optimise the operation of the Irish Airport network to ensure maximum connectivity to the rest of the world. Growth of air services at our regional airports is also in line with government policy on balanced regional development. That said, the operation of air services is a commercial matter between airlines, airports and other commercial partners and it is not possible for Government to direct traffic away from Dublin to our regional airports.

There is no impediment to any airline or charter service introducing new routes or ad hoc services at other Irish airports such as Shannon Airport, which has US Preclearance facilities and Cork Airport. There are no capacity constraints at these regional State airports or indeed at our smaller regional airports, Ireland West (Knock), Kerry and Donegal, which can be utilised to maintain and enhance connectivity to our regions.

In relation to security queues at the Airport, daa have advised my department that 94% of passengers passed through security screening in under 20 minutes in the peak summer period this year.