Ryanair, Ireland’s largest airline, today (Tues, 23 Dec) called on Taoiseach Micheál “do-nothing” Martin, to explain why 12 months after his Jan 2025 Programme for Govt promised to scrap the Dublin Airport traffic cap “as soon as possible“ no progress has been made, despite his Govt’s 20 seat majority in Dáil Éireann. Ryanair believes this is because Micheál Martin is so busy travelling overseas, getting his photograph taken at the COP summit in Brazil, the G20 meeting in South Africa, his pointless trip to Angola, or this week’s jolly to see the Defence Forces in Lebanon (which could have been done by the Defence Minister), which is why he gets nothing done here at home!

Micheál Martin’s Programme for Govt 2025, promised to scrap the Dublin Airport cap “as soon as possible“, but 12 months later, nothing has been done. The Cabinet approved something in Sept, but there’s still no legislation, no action, no delivery, and no sign of any plan to scrap this absurd and illegal cap.

Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, asked:

“Why does our “do-nothing” Taoiseach spend all his time travelling abroad, and almost no time delivering his Programme for Govt here at home? 12 months after he promised to scrap the Dublin Airport cap “as soon as possible“, no action has been taken by Micheál Martin. There’s been no delivery on infrastructure, no delivery on housing, no delivery on any other part of his Programme for Govt either.

He has lots of Ministers who can attend these overseas meetings, but Micheál Martin would show up to the opening of an envelope if it involved getting his photograph taken. In Nov, he turned up to open the Baggage Hall at Kerry Airport (a gig that could have been done by the Transport Minister), but no, Micheál Martin, while doing nothing about the Dublin Airport cap, has time to show up to open a Baggage Hall in Kerry Airport.

There is no excuse for Micheál Martin’s abject failure to deliver on his Programme for Govt. With the 20 seat majority, he can and should have scrapped this illegal Dublin Airport cap in 3 or 4 months. The latest “spin” from his Govt is that legislation “might” be moved in Spring, and “might” be passed by the end of 2026. This is far too slow as it prevents the American airlines opening new routes in Dublin in summer 2026.

It’s time for Micheál “do-nothing” Martin to spend less time travelling abroad getting his picture taken, and more time here at home, delivering on his Programme for Govt, which committed him to scrapping the Dublin Airport cap “as soon as possible“.

Micheál Martin’s New Year resolution should be: “Stay at home and do something, but stop wasting time travelling abroad, to get your picture taken”. We’re frankly fed up of this “do-nothing” Taoiseach and this “do-nothing” Govt, failing to deliver their own Programme. If he won’t scrap the cap – as soon as possible – then he should resign, and allow somebody competent to deliver his Programme for Govt and scrap the cap, so that Ryanair and other airlines can deliver new routes, traffic and jobs growth here for Ireland, where Micheál “do-nothing” Martin and his trips to Angola has delivered nothing but excuses.”