While there are plans to increase the cap on passengers in Dublin Airport, its CEO thinks any cap is “going backwards”. 

Dublin Airport is seeking to expand its capacity beyond the current limit of 32 million passengers per annum to 40 million. 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has expressed support for this increase, while emphasising the importance of regional airports. 

Labour Councillor Brian McDonagh said such a rise would increase noise pollution in Swords, while Green politicians are concerned for the environmental implications. 

Daa CEO Kenny Jacobs, however, told The Anton Savage Show he wants to lift the cap on passengers altogether. 

“The only thing that will happen if we keep Dublin Airport caps is we lose connectivity, we will lose jobs, air fares will go up,” he said. "It's going backwards."

“We don't reduce emissions - we just move it to other airports like Manchester, like Edinburgh.” 

Demand for Dublin Airport

Mr Jacobs said the current cap was introduced in 2007 based on “on surface access”, vehicles coming to and from Dublin Airport. 

He pointed out that there has been an increase in people using buses to get to the airport, reducing emissions from driving. 

“The demand is there for airlines, road vehicles are down, and the terminals can take 35 million passengers,” he said. 

“And let’s not forget, we’re an island economy and we absolutely need this vital connectivity. 

“If we're saying cap Dublin because it’ll be good and then go to the regional [airports], that's not correct.” 

A 'hub airport'

Dublin is a “hub airport”, according to Mr Jacobs, which would mean capping would not incentivise airlines to move to regional airports. 

“There's no incentive for [airlines] to pick Dublin over the other airports,” he said. “They’re just going where demand is. 

“I think all the airports in Ireland should grow because we're a small island economy, but capping Dublin will not move flights to regions.” 

Noise and environmental pollution

Addressing environmental concerns of aviation, the daa CEO said aviation is responsible for less than 2.5% of emissions. 

“Aviation has a plan, and we want to get on with that plan,” he said. “We want to reduce emissions.” 

The daa CEO also said the airport is not “showing disregard” for locals living near Dublin Airport. 

“Noise we take very seriously,” he said. “Noise is going in the right direction – it's being halved compared to before when we had the north runway. 

“We’re doing more noise monitoring, we’re doing more buyouts of houses close to the runway, we’re doing insulation of houses.” 

Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman has also submitted a complaint to Fingal County Council about noise concerns from an increased cap. 

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