Dublin Airport
16 January 2025
Dublin Airport’s 32 million terminals passenger cap restriction is an issue of national importance that needs to be urgently resolved.
daa is calling on planners to take a pragmatic and proactive approach so that Ireland doesn't lose vital connectivity, jobs, tourism, and economic growth opportunities over the years ahead.
Commenting, daa CEO Kenny Jacobs said: “Everyone recognises the need to urgently resolve the Dublin Airport planning cap issue. We respect that FCC has a job to do but declaring daa’s application to increase the cap to 36 million a year as invalid after twice confirming it was valid shows the inconsistent approach of FCC’s planners. We also refute the reasons given for declaring a 1,000-plus page application as misleading.
“The suggestion that daa had not discussed the application with FCC is wrong. daa engages extensively with FCC on all planning matters and had more than 30 meetings with them last year. daa’s leadership and planning team dedicate immense time, effort, expertise and resources to our planning applications and have a track record of successful applications like Terminal 2, the North Runway and the airport underpass. We also partner with highly experienced planning, environmental and legal consultants to ensure our applications robustly meet the requirements of the planning system.
“These are not simple matters: many of daa’s planning applications are large and complex, both from a technical and planning perspective, and from a regulatory and environmental assessment perspective at both national and EU level. While the ‘no build’ application to increase to 36 million had some complexity, the purpose was simple; to find a short-term solution to the planning cap impasse while FCC gets on with evaluating the bigger 40-million application lodged in 2023. The original idea to apply for 36 million rather than 40 million came from FCC, and government and other stakeholders have consistently supported the idea to lodge a ‘no build’ application...
Read on: daa answers comments made by Fingal County Council on the validity of its 36m planning application
