Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-08
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Darragh O'Brien (FF), Dublin Fingal East

I thank the Senator for tabling the amendment. I would say to Senator Clifford-Lee that this is in section 6 of the Bill very clearly. The Bill was written in close collaboration and with the advice of the Attorney General as well. The general power is actually very important. Section 6(1) states: "The Minister may give a direction in writing to daa for any purpose relating to this Act, including, but not limited to ..." and then it actually lists them. Anyone can read that it is abundantly clear.
I have already spoken in relation to noise. Noise is an issue for some residents. I have also spoken on flight paths and in relation to the voluntary purchase scheme. I have already engaged with the DAA on that. We will have a new management team in the DAA shortly and I will be engaging again at that stage too. I say that as someone who has lived beside the airport my whole life. I would also say it is important that in fairness, many of the residents who have issues are not against the airport. There are many people in north Dublin, where I live, who actually want the airport cap removed and who derive incomes from the airport and want it to grow. There are others who are directly impacted and who have very valid issues that have not been dealt with heretofore in as efficient a way as possible. Many people feel particularly affected by the opening of the new runway, as I mentioned, in St. Margaret's The Ward area, Portmarnock, parts of Malahide, in particular, and parts of Kinsealy. However, there are many others who are under flight paths who want to see the airport continue to grow also. This is about having a balanced approach but the power within the Act, once this is passed, is very clearly set down. This is about trying to move this forward in a sustainable way to allow the airport to grow in a sustainable way and allow it to underpin and support the jobs that are there and make sure we have the international connectivity we need and require as an island nation.
This legislation has been thought through very carefully. We have not in any way, shape or form rushed it either. There were ten weeks of pre-legislative scrutiny. I responded to the pre-legislative scrutiny report. That is important. This Bill passing would strengthen our hand with regard to how the airport operates for the small number of residents who are affected. I am acutely aware of that myself and I expect the power that is given to me within the Bill to be used. I am not accepting the amendments as tabled.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-08/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:10+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-08