Battle over airport continues
City Wide News North East Edition 26 Sep - 9 Oct 2007

The first week of October has been earmarked for construction of Dublin Airport's new second terminal to begin, DAA Chief Executive, Declan Collier has confirmed. Having finally received the go ahead after a long planning and appeals process, DAA Board Chairman, Gary McGann has expressed his hope that the project, along with the planned new runway, will not be subject to 'vexatious legal challenges and the threat of further unnecessary delays'.

However, long time opponents to both projects, Portmarnock's UPROAR group, have received something of a boost in their campaign as north Dublin Junior Minister, Trevor Sargent reaffirms his backing for their concerns surrounding both projects.

The Portmarnock Community Association recently met Minister Sargent at the Portmarnock Golf Links Hotel to discuss next steps in the PCA's campaign against what they describe as "the unsustainable expansion of Dublin Airport".

PCA-UPROAR welcomed Minister Sargent's commitment to continue his support for UPROAR's campaign. In particular he agreed to support their demand that due process be followed as regards the full "Value for Money" evaluation of these projects before a decision to proceed with their construction is taken by the government as the DAA's shareholder.
Department of Finance Value for Money appraisal guidelines specifically require that following planning permission the earlier cost benefit analysis must be revisited to ensure that planning conditions imposed do not alter a previously positive result. In this case, as no previous cost benefit analysis exists, in spite of the projects costing vastly more than the e30 million ceiling for such an analysis, it means a full analysis, incorporating some 60 planning conditions imposed by ABP, must now be carried out.

Minister Sargent said that our National Spatial Strategy required that growth be rebalanced in favour of the West and that Dublin Airport's expansion plans conflict with the objective of balanced regional development policy as set out in NSS. He also said he was struck by the argument that Dublin Airport's development may be driven by a hidden subsidy due to the trivial e20 million value put on all of the airport's 2,500 acres and then reflected in the airport's passenger charge that is very low by European standards. He agreed that this may well explain why other airports such as Shannon are facing an uphill struggle to compete with a Dublin Airport, which is planned to expand to handle 60 million passengers per annum.

However, with no legal action or further appeals pending, the Board of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has approved the placing of a number of significant contracts that will enable construction work to proceed as soon as possible on the second passenger terminal (T2) at Dublin Airport. Following the recent decision by An Bord Pleanála. The DAA plans to begin initial site work for T2 in the first week of October, subject to agreement with the relevant statutory authorities. The contracts approved, have a combined value of about e200m and cover key elements of the new terminal including the buildings sub and superstructure, steelwork, and exterior walls and roof, according to DAA Chief Executive, Declan Collier.

On behalf of the DAA Board, the Chairman Gary McGann welcomed An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant permission for T2 and separately for the new runway that will be required at Dublin Airport within the next five years. "It is patently clear to all reasonable observers that Dublin Airport urgently needs significant additional capacity, appropriate to a capital city airport and one of the busiest and fastest-growing such facilities in Europe," says McGann. The Government has directed that T2 be built as quickly as the planning system allowed and the costs of the development have been independently assessed and affirmed. In this context, the Board of the DAA is pleased to be in a position to approve commencement of one of the most important infrastructural projects in the history of the State and one that will secure Dublin Airport's position as the key gateway to the island of Ireland for decades to come, " he continued.

"With the best interests of all Dublin Airport's customers in mind, the Board also hopes the construction timeline for T2 and related facilities is not subject to vexatious legal challenges and the threat of further unnecessary delays," Mr McGann added.

The proceeds from the sale this week of DAA's stake in Birmingham Airport are expected to help fund both airport projects, with a combined costing of e2 billion.