Committee urges climate review before lifting Dublin Airport passenger cap

Oireachtas transport committee has also recommended legislation be curbed to limit the potential powers of the transport minister

TDs and senators have called for a 'comprehensive independent assessment' of the impacts of removing the cap, as airlines and the DAA press for its removal. File picture

The Government should carry out an environmental and climate impact assessment of its plans to remove the passenger cap at Dublin Airport, the Oireachtas transport committee has recommended.

TDs and senators have called for a “comprehensive independent assessment” of the impacts of removing the cap, as airlines and the DAA press for its removal.

An annual passenger cap of 32m is in place for Dublin Airport.

Earlier this year, transport minister Darragh O’Brien received permission from Cabinet to bring forward legislation which will grant him powers to amend or scrap the passenger cap.

Alongside calls for an environmental and climate assessment, the committee has recommended that the legislation be curbed to limit the potential powers of the transport minister.

This includes restricting the minister’s authority to changes to the passenger cap only, as well as introducing a requirement to review those powers after a specified period.

The committee has also recommended that the legislation be enacted and commenced, and that any changes to the cap be implemented, before October 1.

This is to ensure the cap is removed before the Irish Aviation Authority is required to make its capacity declaration for summer 2027.

It comes amid pressure from Airlines for America, whose chief executive Chris Sununu has warned that Ireland could face “repercussions” from the US over the continued passenger cap.

Mr Sununu has said if Ireland limits US flights coming into Ireland due to the cap, the US “may look at limiting Irish flights coming in, primarily, probably to New York and places like that”.

In its report, the committee cites the existing noise abatement procedures available in Dublin Airport.

However, it calls for these procedures to be reviewed to ensure they are “in line with standards procedures in comparable European airports”.

TDs also called for an independent assessment of all flight paths used by airlines, adding that “noise modelling should be carried out”.

The committee said that “meaningful engagement” should be undertaken by DAA with local communities to “mitigate the impact of noise from the north runway”.

It also recommends that assessments be carried out of the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant and whether expansion is required, due to the extra demand which would be placed on it due to Dublin Airport’s growth.