Ryanair, Ireland’s No. 1 airline, today (25 Feb) welcomed EU Commission confirmation that the night-time movement cap proposed by An Coimisúin Pleanála for Dublin Airport breaches EU law.  This illegal night-time cap, along with the artificial 32m passenger cap applied by the same planning body almost 20 years ago, confirm the urgency of Micheál Martin’s Govt finally passing legislation by St. Patrick’s Day to abolish artificial caps on the primary airport on the island of Ireland. 

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:

“Micheál “Do Nothing” Martin published a Programme for Govt 14 months ago in Jan 2025, in which he promised his Govt (with a 20-seat majority) would scrap Dublin Airport’s cap “as soon as possible”.  Now, the EU Commission has embarrassingly moved before his Govt to find An Coimisúin Pleanála’s night-time cap to be in breach of EU law. When will Micheál “Do Nothing” Martin do something to stop these artificial caps being applied by local planning bodies by passing legislation before St. Patrick’s Day to scrap caps at Dublin Airport for the benefit of jobs, our tourism industry and our economy?”