Ryanair failed to get High Court permission yesterday to challenge an An Bord Pleanála decision giving permission to Aer Rianta for a passenger aircraft pier at Dublin airport.

A decision by Fingal County Council to grant permission had been appealed to An Bord Pleanála by Ryanair. The proposed development includes a link, in the form of an elevated walkway, to the main terminal building from Pier D.

Ryanair brought an application by way of judicial review seeking an order to quash An Bord Pleanála’s decision. The low-cost airline complained that the walkway obscured the public view of the old terminal building, which is stated to be a class-one listed building under the County Development Plan.

Mr Justice Aindrias Ó Caoimh, in a reserved judgment yesterday, said Ryanair had failed to show substantial grounds that An Bord Pleanála ’s decision was invalid.

He did not accept that Ryanair had demonstrated substantial grounds for contending that the board had failed to comply with legislation on the basis that it did not indicate the main reasons for which it did not accept a recommendation in the inspector’s report. (The inspector had recommended permission should be granted, but that it should be refused for the proposed access corridor).