Ryanair today (Fri 20 Jun) called on Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, and Transport Minister, Darragh O’Brien, to urgently scrap the Dublin Airport Cap, six months into the life of the new Govt. Today’s news that Fingal Co Co has issued a pointless planning enforcement notice to the DAA for breaching the Dublin Airport Cap (even though this illegal cap has been referred to the European Court of Justice) illustrates clearly why a Local County Council cannot be left in charge of Ireland’s national transport infrastructure.

Ryanair called on the Govt to pass urgent legislation removing Dublin Airport (indeed all Irish airports) from Local Council planning supervision. Fingal Co Co has repeatedly shown they are incompetent and incapable of overseeing the growth of aviation at Dublin Airport. It is time that key national infrastructure, like Dublin Airport, is removed from the interference of Local County Councils and instead devolved to National Govt or the Dept of Transport.

Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“It is absurd that Fingal Co Co are issuing planning enforcement notices when the illegal Dublin Airport Cap has been referred to the European Court of Justice. This illegal 2007 planning restriction is in breach of European rules on Freedom of Movement and is also in breach of the EU-US Open Skies Agreement. We are confident that the European Courts will outlaw this idiotic 18-year-old cap, but today’s Fingal enforcement notice proves conclusively that a Local County Council cannot be left in charge of national transport infrastructure. 

The Dublin Airport Cap featured prominently in last Nov’s General Election. The new Govt in Jan published its Programme promising to scrap the Dublin Airport Cap, yet 6 months later, we have seen no action and no legislation.  The time for delay and dither is over. We now call on Taoiseach, Micheal Martin, and Transport Minister, Darragh O’Brien, to implement their Govt Programme and abolish this idiotic and illegal traffic cap at Dublin Airport.”