Eamon Ryan refuses to overrule Dublin Airport passenger cap

Eamon Ryan said he will not overrule the limit of 32m passengers a year. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

There has been no breakthrough in the ongoing dispute over Dublin Airport's passenger cap following a meeting between Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary and Transport Minister Eamon Ryan.

Mr Ryan has stressed he cannot overrule a decision by planning authorities to impose the existing cap on Dublin Airport, which limits passenger numbers to 32m a year.

The Green Party leader said ministerial interference in the matter would be tantamount to “riding roughshod” over the planning system, with Fingal County Council set to decide on expanding the current cap.

When asked about the meeting, Mr Ryan said the two men differed on the substantive issue, but said there were areas of “agreement and disagreement” on the future sustainability of aviation.

The Ryanair boss, however, gave a more blunt assessment of the meeting, simply saying they could not reach an agreement.

There wasn’t any meeting of minds. We are very critical of his failure as minister for transport to implement Ireland’s aviation policy, which is to grow traffic, grow aviation jobs, and grow the contribution of aviation to the Irish economy.

“He essentially said to us that he is not going to intervene in the matter of the Dublin Airport cap," Mr O’Leary said.

Dublin Airport is currently capped at 32m passengers a year, but a planning application has been lodged seeking to increase the cap to 40m a year.

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“Michael is of the view that we should just remove the cap, I believe that would completely undermine our planning system,” Mr Ryan said.

“You can't just wade in and tell An Bord Pleanála, ‘sorry, you’ve to change your conditions’. You have to act under the law.

“You can’t throw out planning. We’ve lost so much in this country by people riding roughshod over the planning system. It’s a hassle sometimes, it’s a pain, but, actually, the independence of a planning regulatory system serves everyone, and suits everyone in the long run.

He thinks I can just go in and change the law, change the rules, change the conditions. You can’t do that. You’ve got to respect a planning system.

Mr Ryan previously said the cap itself was put in place to ensure the surrounding road infrastructure can cope with traffic levels linked to the airport.

Michael O'Leary said he doesn't think calling Mr Ryan a 'dunce for failing to deliver his own aviation policy is abusive'. Picture: PA

However, he did admit that the Government had questions to answer over the ongoing transport infrastructure deficits between the airport and the city centre, adding that the metro needs to be built.

Asked if he raised the recent personal jibes against him by Mr O’Leary, Mr Ryan said that it did not come up and he instead made efforts to correct “inaccuracies” about his handling of issues over Dublin Airport.

“It was more about the issues than about the personalities,” he said.

Mr O’Leary, however, said he would continue to make jokes at Mr Ryan’s expense.

“Personal jibes are fun. He told me upstairs it didn’t bother him in the slightest," he said.

“I think that’s all good, you see it in the Dáil every day. They’re all shouting abuse at each other.

“I don’t think I’m abusive. I don’t think calling him a dunce for failing to deliver his own aviation policy is abusive.”

The meeting was held in Ryanair’s Dublin headquarters in Swords.