Dublin Airport claims it had 'no option' but to divert overnight flights over heavily populated areas

A spokesperson for Dublin Airport said the closure had been necessitated at short notice “for safety reasons” following the identification of an issue with the south runway’s taxiway. File photo

Dublin Airport has said it had “no option” other than to close one of its two runways on Tuesday — diverting all of its night traffic to its north runway — just hours before the beginning of the State exams.

The airport announced late on Tuesday afternoon that its south runway — which ordinarily operates all night-time traffic at the airport — would shut for emergency repair works from 11pm that night until 5am.