Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 November 2023
36. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport if he is concerned at the impact that lifting the passenger cap at Dublin Airport would have on local residents, including noise pollution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52854/23]
View answer56. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Transport his views on lifting the cap on passenger numbers at Dublin Airport, given commitments made under the climate action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52852/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 56 together.
The government supports the policy objective of reducing aviation related emissions. As aviation emissions are outside the scope of Climate Action Plan targets, efforts to mitigate the climate impact of air transport operations are generally being pursued internationally through what are known as a 'basket of measures' which include operational efficiencies, technology innovations, sustainable aviation fuels and market-based measures.
My Department has been engaged in work at both EU and international level to develop measures that aim to decarbonise the industry. The most notable of these is the EU-Emissions Trading Scheme which has included aviation since 2012. A more ambitious approach to this Scheme was agreed this year which provides for the phasing out of free allowances to air operators requiring them to either reduce their emissions or purchase additional emissions credits.
Last month, the Refuel EU Aviation Regulation was published. The Regulation aims to increase the availability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) across the EU while maintaining a level playing field. From 2025, it will oblige fuel suppliers to make increasing levels of SAF available, blended with jet fuel, at Union airports, while Union airport management bodies are required to take all necessary measures to facilitate the access of operators to such fuel.
At the same time aircraft operators will be required to uplift at least 90% of their journey fuel requirement before departing a Union airport to avoid fuel tankering. The SAF industry is a nascent one, and it is anticipated that the introduction of mandates at EU level will provide an appropriate signal to the production industry that there will be a market for these types of fuels.
I am establishing a SAF Task Force to bring together relevant stakeholders with responsibility or interest in SAF policy development. The main goal of the Task Force will be to assist my Department with the development of a national SAF Policy Roadmap which will help guide policy development and identify the actions necessary to ensure that Ireland can play its part in helping to decarbonise aviation.
Increasing the capacity of Dublin Airport is in line with national aviation policy which recognises the strategic importance of Dublin Airport in meeting national social and economic policy goals and includes a specific objective of developing Dublin Airport as a hub airport with the necessary capacity to connect key existing and emerging global markets.
A passenger cap of 32 million passengers per annum is currently in place at Dublin Airport. This passenger cap is a planning condition attached to planning permission granted for Terminal 2 (condition 3). The condition was put in place principally due to surface access constraints at Dublin Airport.
daa has statutory responsibility for the management, operation, and development of Dublin Airport. This includes applying for planning permission for increasing the passenger cap and any infrastructure development at the airport required to support connectivity.
In this regard, I am aware that daa intends to submit a planning application to Fingal County Council next month to allow it to grow beyond the 32m passenger cap to 40m passengers and for all associated infrastructure required to support this increase in passengers including the construction of new aircraft piers and stands.
As part of its capital investment plan, daa plans to invest €400m in the next four years in sustainable infrastructure upgrades such as solar PV and a widescale electrification of its fleet. This is part of the development required to achieve its stated goal to reduce carbon emissions by 51% by 2030 and to be net-zero by 2050.
While I recognise the importance of the airport to Ireland island economy, it is important to the Government in ensuring the sustainable development of Dublin Airport, to balance the objectives of the National Aviation Policy, the needs of business and tourism interests and the legitimate rights of local residents who are concerned about noise levels, particularly at night.
In this regard, the Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation Act 2019 provides a wholly independent aircraft noise regulation process in accordance with EU Regulation 598/2014 and provides that all future development at Dublin airport is subject to assessment and mitigation in respect of the impact of associated aircraft movements on the noise environment around Dublin Airport.
The aircraft noise regulation process is tied in with the planning process, which provides safeguards against any award of planning permission until such time as the proposal has been screened and/or fully assessed in relation to aviation noise impacts.
