Joint Committee on Transport and Communications receives Update from daa on specific plans to address security checks for passengers at Dublin Airport

Among the measures advised by daa to the committee are:  

·        The recruitment of 100 new security staff already and efforts to recruit additional staff – 250 candidates have been invited for interview this week.

·        Temporarily re-assigning a number of Cork Airport security staff to Dublin Airport

·        Identifying former security screeners still employed by daa, but now in different roles in the company

·        Continuing the deployment of 600 office based staff to security duties during the weekends and at known peak periods, as was in place last weekend

·        Contracted third party security trainers to expand and expediate the training capacity for new security checking recruits

·        A targeted communications campaign to notify intending passengers to allow sufficient time in advance of travel to complete their security screening

·        Improved operational arrangements in relation to the operation of security screening throughout each day.

The authority believes that the measures that it is taking are beginning to have a positive impact, and is committed to taking whatever further measures are required.

Whilst welcoming the update from the daa, the Joint Committees continues to have serious questions in relation to the recruitment process. More particularly, it questions whether the specific employment contract terms on offer are proving to be a major constraint on recruitment of the 300 security checking staff required as a matter of urgency, where we see only a possible of 20 hours per week on offer together with the rate of pay on offer and the Committee is requesting the daa to revisit the employment terms here.  Furthermore, the committee is advocating that before Garda vetting is requested, an employment contact offer must first be made, rather than after the vetting process has been concluded, as is the current position.

“At our meeting with CEO of daa, Dalton Phillips and his managerial team on Monday, we requested a detailed plan as to how they the daa will manage the security checking requirements for the large increase in passengers numbers departing at Dublin Airport, particularly as we approach the very busy Easter air travel time. Furthermore, we sought a specific outline of actions the daa propose to introduce to expedite the recruitment of the current shortfall of 300 security checking staff. As part of our visit, we met with the very hard working security checking staff at Terminal 1 to see first-hand the challenging situation they are experiencing.

“Whilst we welcome the requested update we have received today from the daa, and the further alleviation measures introduced, nevertheless, the committee continues to hold serious reservations around the recruitment process for the 300 security checking staff urgently required.  More particularly, we question whether the specific employment contract terms on offer are proving to be a major constraint on the recruitment of security checking staff, where we see only a possible of 20 hours per week on offer together with the rate of pay on offer and are requesting the daa to revisit the employment terms here. 

“Furthermore, the Committee is advocating that before Garda vetting is requested, an employment contact offer must first be made, rather than after the vetting process has been concluded, as is the current position.

“As we enter the busy season for flights, we must ensure that passengers do not continue to encounter serious security delays at Dublin Airport and circumstances are avoided which have given rise to some people missing flights

“The Committee will continue to focus on this key issue, and is requesting regular up-dates from the DAA. 

The Joint Committee on Transport and Communications has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.