Ryanair, Ireland’s favourite airline, today (Thurs, 27 Feb) called on the new Govt, led by Micheál Martin, to urgently scrap the 18 year old 2007 Dublin Airport traffic cap, and allow airlines to grow traffic, tourism and jobs at Dublin Airport by fully using Dublin’s 2^nd runway that was opened in 2022.

Dublin Airport now has capacity for up to 50m passengers, but its growth is being harmed by an outdated and idiotic 2007 planning restriction over concerns about road access around Dublin Airport, which no longer apply.

At a time when other countries are building new runways to stimulate growth and tourism jobs, Ireland’s growth is being hampered by the Govt’s failure to immediately scrap this idiotic 18 year old traffic cap.

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:

“We welcome the fact that the new Govt led, by Micheál Martin, has committed in its Programme for Govt to abolish the Dublin Airport traffic cap. However, we are now entering March, 3 months into the life of this new Govt, and still no action has been taken to abolish this cap. The airlines have successfully appealed this outdated and unlawful traffic cap to the European Courts, but the better solution will be for the Govt to abolish this stupid cap, which can be done either through legislation or the simple means of the Transport Minister issuing a direction to the IAA to ignore this outdated and unlawful cap.

Today the UK Govt has indicated that it will approve the construction of a 2^nd runway in Gatwick in order to deliver growth for the UK economy. Dublin Airport already has a 2^nd runway, but the airlines can’t use it because of an idiotic 18 year old road traffic cap, which should be scraped by Govt as a matter of urgency. The Irish economy needs more traffic, more jobs and more tourism growth, and enabling all airlines to use the 2^nd runway by abolishing this 18 year old traffic cap is the way forward. We have not a moment to lose. Scrap the cap now, and allow the airlines to return to growth at Dublin and Ireland in 2025 before Gatwick gets its second runway.”