The government is backing proposals to construct another runway at Dublin airport.
The cabinet has signed off on plans to support DAA, the Dublin airport authority, in beginning construction of a new north runway. Leo Varadkar, the taoiseach, says he wants to see work get under way within the next few months. “It is very important for our economy, tourism and business that we increase capacity at the airport,” he said.
DAA has announced plans for the 3,110m runway, which is estimated to cost €320 million. Planning permission was first granted for a new runway in 2007 but that project was shelved because of the recession.
The Department of Transport said yesterday: “Passenger growth at Dublin airport has rebounded incredibly strongly over the last number of years. As the economy has recovered and grown, the need for additional capacity is now clear and urgent.”
The department added that “international connectivity opportunities afforded by a new runway are vital to future prosperity, especially in a post-Brexit environment”.
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Shane Ross, the transport minister, said it was the government’s intention to appoint Fingal county council as the new independent airport noise regulator for Dublin airport. He hoped to have a new bill enacted by the end of this year, which would provide for an “open, transparent and balanced approach to noise management”.
He said: “As an island economy, it is obvious that Dublin airport has a hugely important role to play in that regard, and so its future development is of broad national interest.”
Mr Ross added that the government supported his proposal to implement the EU regulation that would put in place the new independent regulatory regime. This would make sure that “major European airports are developed in line with agreed international best practice on airport noise management.
“It will ensure that for the first time there is a fair and transparent system for the independent assessment and monitoring of airport noise at Dublin airport . . . and that proposals for expanding future capacity and increasing aircraft movements are specifically evaluated for their noise impact, as well as other existing environmental impact assessment requirements,” he said.
Work started on the first construction package for the north runway in December 2016. The initial phase of the project involved diverting the Naul Road and realigning other roads as well as other works including fencing and site clearance and demolitions.
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Last March Fingal council granted a five-year extension to the runway’s original planning permission schedule. This now extends until August 2022