Residents hold 'constructive' talks over Dublin Airport noise and night flights

The minister for transport has previously underlined his support for the lifting of the passenger cap at Dublin Airport. 

People living close to Dublin Airport have described as “constructive” a meeting with the minister for transport regarding their concerns over issues such as aircraft noise and night-time flights.

Local organisation St Margarets The Ward (SMTW) residents group met Darragh O’Brien on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the ongoing issues between the airport and those living in its hinterland.

It was the first such meeting between the minister and the residents, who hail from his own constituency of Dublin Fingal East, since he took over the transport portfolio from Eamon Ryan last January.

The residents had been seeking a commitment from the minister that the airport's 32 million people passenger cap will remain in place “until noise and health concerns are addressed”.

Locals have been at odds with the airport’s administrator DAA for several years over multiple issues, but especially the use by aircraft of flight paths over residential communities contrary to those contained in the initial planning permission for the airport’s north runway, and the prevalence of night-time flights to and from the airport.

Recent research commissioned by residents estimated the annual health costs associated with aviation noise at Dublin Airport as amounting to approximately €800m annually, much of it driven by night-time noise exposure.

Passenger cap

Mr O’Brien, who has also met with airlines and the DAA recently, had previously underlined his support for the lifting of the passenger cap at the airport.

That cap — which has been repeatedly breached by the airport over the past two years — has come in for a great deal of criticism from stakeholders, ranging from airlines to politicians, facing accusations that the restriction is limiting growth and competitiveness and discouraging future investment.

Despite this, SMTW representatives declared themselves satisfied with their meeting with the minister, noting that he had been “very engaged with what we had to say”.

They said they had “impressed upon” the minister local concerns in terms of a regional imbalance in airport policy development and the health risks associated with the noise from aircraft.

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The group said further they had informed the minister of the “necessity” to ensure that the original flight paths envisaged for the north runway are used going forward.

“He understood the illegal flight paths and wants all stakeholders to work together for a solution,” one source said.

The minister is set to meet again with the residents in two months’ time.

Earlier this month the Irish Examiner reported that one of the country’s most senior civil servants, secretary general at the Department of Transport Ken Spratt, had cast doubt on reported efforts by the Government to quickly raise Dublin Airport’s 32m person passenger cap, describing them as “inaccurate” and “likely to set unrealistic expectations”.