Michael O’Leary has said the concerns of north Dublin locals about aircraft noise are “utter nonsense” and told them to “suck it up”. 

Residents close to the airport have described their lives as like “being in a warzone” and said the noise from aircraft have made their lives a “living hell”. 

Many are resolutely opposed to any increase in Dublin Airport’s passenger cap, fearing it will only make the situation worse. 

When asked if he had any sympathy for their plight, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said he had “absolutely none”.

“We’ve opened up two runways, which straight away has halved flights over St Margaret’s anyway because half of them have gone to the second runway,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. 

“Secondly, there are no nighttime flights taking off over your house between the hours of midnight to six o’clock in the morning. 

“If you’re in your bed and the windows are closed, you won’t even hear it. 

“You’re more likely to be disturbed by traffic on the St Margaret’s Road than you are by aircraft taking off. 

“The aircraft today are 50% quieter than they were five or 10 years ago - it is utter nonsense.” 

A Ryanair aeroplane at Dublin Airport. Photo: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie.

Dublin Airport

Mr O’Leary added that people who live close to the airport knew there would be planes taking off and landing when they moved there. 

“It’s all NIMBY nonsense,” he said. 

“You built a house in the environs of Dublin Airport; Dublin Airport has been there since 1942. 

“You either moved to the area or built a house in the area. Suck it up. 

“So, in any event, you’ve now got two runways. 

“If your house is in St Margaret’s you’ve now got 50% fewer flights over your house because of the second runway.” 

Dublin Airport’s new North Runway. Picture by: PA Archive/PA Images.

In recent years, Mr O’Leary has been a vocal advocate in favour of increasing the Dublin Airport’s 32 million annual passenger cap. 

He described the airport’s runway capacity as the “envy of Europe”, but insisted it is going to waste. 

“We have capacity for 60 million passengers but the airlines are not allowed to use it,” he complained. 

“We have two nonsensical things going on; one, we have this idiotic 2007 road traffic restriction - despite the fact that we’ve upgraded all the roads. 

“We’re already at 32 million passengers and the roads haven’t come to a [standstill]. 

“This summer, basically, the airlines took a court case and the planning cap has been suspended by the European Court… So, this cap is now illegal under EU law.” 

Dublin Airport. Picture by: The Irish Image Collection/Design Pics via ZUMA Wire.

DAA’s demands to lift the passenger cap ran into strong resistance from the Green Party in the last Dáil. 

However, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have previously backed raising the cap. 

“There was an election held in November, all the main parties said we’re going to scrap the cap,” Mr O’Leary said. 

“Here’s the key thing in the Programme for Government, [they said], ‘We will scrap the cap as soon as possible.’ 

“Seven months later, we’re at the end of July and nothing has happened. 

“You have a Government with a 20 seat majority, there won’t be another election for five years. 

“Pass legislation either abolishing the cap or better still take all of Ireland’s airports out of local planning.” 

According to Our World In Data, aviation currently comprises roughly 2.5% of the world’s carbon emissions - although only 10% of humanity flies every year. 

It is one of the most carbon intensive activities and, as global incomes increase, demand for it is forecast to increase.

Main image: Michael O'Leary. Picture by: Alamy.com.