Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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168. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeline for removing the passenger cap at Dublin Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9504/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I can advise the Deputy that there is a commitment in the Programme for Government to work with stakeholders to achieve our objective of lifting the passenger cap at Dublin airport as soon as possible.

Since my appointment as Minister for Transport I have commenced the process of meeting with the key stakeholders and will continue to do so over the coming weeks to understand how government can best support daa to achieve our objective of lifting the passenger cap as soon as possible. The development of Dublin Airport is something I’ve always supported. It is very important for the region and the country in terms of jobs and economic growth but it needs to develop in a sustainable way that considers the local community.

It is a longstanding Government policy to develop Dublin Airport as a secondary hub airport with the necessary capacity to connect key existing and emerging global markets. However, it is important to Government in ensuring the sustainable development of Dublin Airport, to balance the objectives of the National Aviation Policy, the needs of business and tourism interests and the legitimate rights of local residents who are concerned about noise levels, particularly at night. In this regard, the Government is committed to ensuring that all relevant agencies engage effectively with all communities impacted by noise, flight movements and airport operations.

It is also important to Government to optimise our airport network and I am pleased to note the growth in passenger numbers in our other State airports last year with passengers at Cork and Shannon Airports up 10% and 7% respectively, last year.

The cap of 32m passengers at Dublin Airport is a planning-related rather than policy related matter. It is a condition attached to planning permission granted for T2. As the Deputy will be aware, daa has the statutory responsibility for the operation, management and development of Dublin Airport and the daa is currently working to address the passenger cap through progressing planning applications including the Infrastructure Application and the Operational Application.

In relation to the Infrastructure Application, under its Capital Investment Programme (CIP 2020+), daa applied for planning permission in December 2023 for infrastructure projects and to increase the annual passenger capacity at Dublin airport from 32m to 40m passengers. Fingal County Council (FCC) issued a request for further information (RFI) from daa on 16 February 2024. daa responded to this request on 13 November 2024 and a public consultation regarding the RFI closed on 8 January 2025.

A decision on this planning application is not subject to the same timelines as a conventional planning application. The Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA), in its role as the regulator of aircraft noise, formed the opinion that the application requires an assessment of the need for a noise related action. daa has yet to submit the outstanding information which was requested by ANCA in March 2024 for this assessment.

The Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Act 2019 provides an independent aircraft noise regulation process in accordance with EU Regulation 598/2014 (establishment of rules and procedures regarding the introduction of noise-related operating restrictions at Union airports within a Balanced Approach). The Act provides that all development at Dublin airport is subject to assessment and mitigation in respect of the noise environment around Dublin Airport.

The Planning Authority is precluded from issuing a decision on the planning application until it receives direction from ANCA in relation to aircraft noise. daa advise that they are awaiting a decision from An Bord Pleanála (ABP) on the North Runway Relevant Action (NRRA) which relates to use of the airport for night time flights, before submitting the requested information to ANCA.

In relation to the Operational Application, on 20 December 2024, daa applied to the planning authority to increase the passenger cap at Dublin Airport to 36m through their Operational Application (OA). FCC notified daa that this OA application was invalid. daa proceeded to resubmit an updated ‘no infrastructure build’ OA to increase the passenger cap to 36m on 6 February 2025. This application is currently being assessed by FCC, although the planning authority has issued a statement that daa has not engaged in pre-planning meetings prior to submission of the application.

While the Government is keen to see the passenger cap lifted as soon as possible, all planning applications are a matter for the statutorily independent bodies to decide on and in this regard, I hope that all relevant planning applications including those that have been appealed to An Bord Pleanála can be progressed as soon as possible.

Finally, I can advise the Deputy that I met with the Chair and CEO of the daa last week and assured the daa that we have a shared objective of seeking to ensure that the passenger cap is lifted so that Dublin Airport can continue to provide the necessary capacity to meet current and future demand.