Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-01
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Joanne Collins (SF), Agricultural Panel

I welcome the Minister of State. As has been said, we are an island nation and depend on connectivity. Aviation in this country is not a luxury but an essential part of the Irish economy, tourism sector, exporters, diaspora and our ability to attract investment. We cannot pretend otherwise. That is why Sinn Féin agrees that the current 32 million passenger cap at Dublin Airport is no longer fit for purpose. The cap was introduced many years ago as a planning condition linked to the construction of terminal 2 and was based on circumstances that have long since changed. Last year alone, Dublin Airport handled approximately 36 million passengers, which is 4 million passengers above the current cap. The reality is that passenger demand has outgrown the planning framework. Continuing with a cap that no longer reflects operational reality creates uncertainty for airlines, businesses and workers whose livelihoods depend on aviation.
We are also conscious of the looming legal uncertainty around slot allocation. If the cap is not addressed then Ireland risks reduced connectivity, fewer routes and potential damage to the tourism sector and the wider economy. For those reasons Sinn Féin supports lifting the passenger cap. However, supporting the principle does not mean giving the legislation a blank cheque. There are significant shortcomings within the Bill that must be addressed on Committee Stage.
First, local communities cannot simply be expected to absorb the consequences of expansion without being listened to. Residents who live around Dublin Airport have legitimate concerns, which we have heard about at the Joint Committee on Transport over the last few months. We have heard about the increased number of night flights, aircraft noise, air pollution, traffic congestion and the reduction in the overall qualify of life within their own communities. Too many people feel like their voices have been ignored for years by both the DAA and the authorities. The irony is that the original passenger cap was introduced because commitments were made regarding transport infrastructure and local impacts. Many of those still remain unresolved today.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-01/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:08+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-01