Community 'devastated' by the noise from Dublin Airport flights over their homes 

Residents in areas close to Ashbourne say they have been subjected to constant aircraft noise since new flight paths were introduced in February.  File picture: Brian Lawless/PA

A community near Dublin Airport has lambasted the Daa for the “devastating” impact of flights from the airport’s newest runway, which locals say are in breach of planning permission.

Locals in areas close to Ashbourne have been subjected to constant aircraft noise since new flight paths were introduced in February, leading to public outcry.

Proposed flight paths from the new runway, which first opened in August 2022, were environmentally assessed on the basis of a ‘straight out’ pathway, one where no turns were taken by aircraft for five nautical miles following takeoff, when the runway first received planning permission in 2007.

However, the runway has never followed those paths, and has instead imposed almost immediate turns on departing aircraft leading them over neighbouring communities.

Fingal residents’ group spokesman Liam O’Gradaigh said people’s lives had been impacted to such an extent that many were thinking of selling up. “It’s devastating, for some it’s intolerable,” he said. “I’ve had a woman on the phone crying to me today over the impact.

We have people putting their houses up for sale because they want to get out, and others want to do so and know they’ll have to take a hit on their houses.

“Some of these are people who built properties having engaged with Fingal County Council and were told they wouldn’t be impacted by the runway,” he said.

A Daa spokesperson said the updates introduced in February had led to flight paths “aligning more closely with the information previously communicated by Daa”.

They acknowledged when the runway first opened “an issue” had been identified “which resulted in some local communities being unexpectedly overflown, for which Daa apologises”.

The planning permission for the runway is currently subject to five actions by Fingal County Council, one of which has led to an enforcement order against Daa requiring the number of night flights from the airport reduce to 65. Daa has taken a judicial review against that order in the High Court.