Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 December 2004
181 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to the amount of time, planning and funding invested in the proposal for the development of a second terminal at Dublin Airport; the status of these plans; and when he proposes to make a decision regarding the location of the proposed terminal. [33673/04]
View answerThe background and current position in relation to the development of a second terminal at Dublin Airport was addressed in my reply and subsequent debate last week on Priority Question No. 49 of 7 December 2004. I refer the Deputy to my reply on that occasion:
I assume the Deputy is referring to the concept of an independent second terminal at Dublin Airport and, in this regard, I am not aware of any decision in support of that concept announced by the former Minister for Public Enterprise. As the Deputy will be aware, An Agreed Programme for Government includes a commitment to examine proposals for a new independent terminal at the airport and to progress such proposals if the evidence suggests that such a terminal will deliver significant benefits.
Passenger traffic through Dublin Airport is expected to grow from last year's level of almost 16 million passengers to 30 million by approximately 2018. New infrastructure capacity and facilities, both airside and landside, will be needed to cater for this growth. Further terminal capacity will be needed in the next few years. The question at issue is not whether new terminal capacity should be provided at Dublin Airport, but rather the most appropriate mechanisms for providing such capacity.
Last year a report by a panel of experts chaired by Mr. Paddy Mullarkey assessed the independent terminal concept taking account of the expressions of interest submitted to my Department on the development of an independent, competing terminal at Dublin Airport. I recognise that an early decision is necessary on this matter so that, regardless of how it is provided, adequate terminal capacity is in place at Dublin Airport when required to meet the growth in passenger traffic. In this regard, my Department is consulting the new board of the Dublin Airport Authority and I intend to bring proposals on the matter to Government very shortly.
