The Government could publish legislation this autumn to end the 32 million a-year limit on passengers at Dublin Airport, DAA chief executive Kenny Jacobs has said.
The courts stalled the so-called passenger cap’s implementation earlier this year, prompting Mr Jacobs to declare it dead on Thursday.
He told reporters on Thursday that the State airports company understood Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien, could publish legislation designed to end the controversial limit after the summer.
The Minister confirmed recently that he had sought the advice of Attorney General, Rossa Fanning SC, the Government’s chief legal officer, on finding a legal means of axing the cap, without compromising the planning system’s independence. How long any such legislation might take to pass is unclear.
Mr Jacobs said DAA had no information on the specifics of the likely law and that the company had made no submissions to the Minister relating to any proposed legislation.
However, he noted that airlines affected by the limit could have done so.
A Department of Transport spokesman said the Government was working with DAA, airlines and residents to lift the Dublin Airport passenger cap as soon as possible.
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Meanwhile, around 10 million people are expected to travel through Dublin Airport this summer, bringing the total for 2025 to just over 36 million, according to DAA, which operates the gateway.
It said on Thursday it expects that Dublin will handle 2,600 flights a-week during the peak season.
[ It could be 2030 before Dublin Airport cap is raised to 40m, DAA chief claimsOpens in new window ]
That level of traffic will push total passengers numbers past the controversial 32 million cap that planners imposed on the airport in 2007.
“The passenger cap is now a zombie cap,” Mr Jacobs declared.
European courts are due to scrutinise key elements of the limit and are widely expected to axe it.
Planning appeals, legal challenges and other delays over the last four years have added about €500 million to the cost of various construction projects proposed by DAA, according to its chief executive.
The company hopes that An Bord Pleanála will rule shortly on a noise quota for Dublin Airport which will clarify the position on night flights, Mr Jacobs noted.
Gary McLean, managing director of Dublin Airport, pledged that the company would aim to get nine out of 10 passengers through security in less than 20 minutes.
DAA hopes to complete the installation of new C3 security screening machines by the end of the summer.
Mr McLean added that it was waiting on the EU to change a rule requiring passengers to take liquids out of their bags as they pass through security.
European safety authorities are expected to decide on this later in the year, possibly July, Mr McLean said.
He predicted that this summer would be Dublin Airport’s “busiest on record”.
Passengers can travel direct to 130 European cities from Dublin, which now has 240 flights a-week to the US.
