TRANSPORT MINISTER DARRAGH O’Brien is due to bring forward legislation that would end the passenger cap at Dublin Airport.

The passenger cap limits the number of passengers allowed at Dublin Airport at 32 million per year.

It is a condition of the planning permission granted for the construction of Terminal 2 in 2007.

One of the main reasons for the passenger cap was to limit traffic pressure on the road infrastructure at Dublin Airport, but many argue that improved road networks and greater use of public transport means these traffic concerns have abated.

Speaking today on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien described the passenger cap as a “legacy issue going back to 2007”.

“The physical infrastructure around the airport that existed back in 2007 when this planning permission was granted and that condition was put in place has changed greatly and will change further,” said O’Brien.

He added that the government is expecting a “positive decision” on the Metrolink “very shortly” – the projected travel time from Dublin city centre to Dublin Airport is less than 20 minutes.

O’Brien said he has had a series of meetings in recent months and that he will be “coming forward to cabinet, hopefully before the Budget, with legislative options” to end the passenger cap.  

“The legislative option is one we’re pursuing and I think we’re right to do that,” said O’Brien.

“As we’re doing that, Dublin Airport Authority still needs to engage with the current planning process,” he added.

O’Brien said that “any stifling of growth” at Dublin Airport “obviously has a direct economic impact”.

“There are over 20,000 people employed directly on campus, about 125,000 indirectly, but very importantly, for an island nation as well, it speaks to our connectivity.”

It’s been projected that Dublin Airport will see around 36 million passengers this year but O’Brien said that the airport “has the capacity to have up to 60 million passengers over time”.

When asked if he would support the airport growing to 60 million passengers, O’Brien said he would if this was done in a “sustainable and phased way”.

“One is not going to jump from 36 million to 60 million passengers in the course of one, five, or ten years even.

“We’ve had a couple of very significant planning decisions that have been made; the night flights issue has been addressed, which gives clarity to the airport and indeed to residents around the operation of the airport at night.”

In July, the number of flights permitted at Dublin Airport increased from an average of 65 a night to 95, between the hours of 11pm and 7am.

Meanwhile, when asked about climate commitments, O’Brien said it is a “balance we have to strike between ensuring continued growth and meeting our climate obligations”.

“Unquestionably, there will be increases in emissions.

“But what also is understood in the aviation sector is the responsibilities they have to bring forward the use of alternative fuels, such as Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), and more technologically advanced aircraft which are emitting less.”

He added: “We have obligations on the climate side and we’ve seen emissions reduce over the last two years in Ireland, whilst our economy and population continues to grow.

“We’re making advances in many areas, and this is a balance that we have to strike, but I don’t think anyone listening in would actually agree with a situation where we simply stop future growth of Dublin Airport.”

O’Brien added that he understands the concerns of local residents as he himself has “spent my whole life here and I know the area intimately”.

“I’ve met with residents groups regularly because I’ve been really clear that the airport needs to operate under a good neighbour policy, and it has not always done that, and there are things that need to happen in that regard,” said O’Brien.

“I also know that there are many residents who understand we need to grow the airport, and there are others who have concerns, and I’ll continue to engage with them.”