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The
second airport case At last
the debate has begun regarding what is essentially the present Proper planning would rebalance the provision of aviation infrastructure. A logistic hub would result if aviation infrastructure was provided 30 kilometers west or south west of Dublin. This happened when Norway built an airport 50 kms from Oslo. Commuters would gain employment locally. Our contribution to climate change would be lessened as distance and time required to access airports by road would decrease. Expensive public land at Dublin Airport would not be sterilised by aviation expansion. The monopolist position of Dublin Airport at Collinstown would be challenged. ANGELA
LAWTON, _______________ FINE GAEL'S AIRPORT PROPOSAL Madam, - Ryanair's Michael O'Leary believes Fine Gael's plan for a second airport for the greater Dublin area is "insane" (The Irish Times, January 10th). I note, however, that he rejects only the idea of a second airport for Dublin city. He had the same nuance when he answered a question on that issue at the airport conference held on October 23rd and 24th last. He seems to be carefully avoiding condemning the idea of a second airport outside Dublin city, which might make a lot more sense than building another airport in the congested southern suburbs of the city. The Fine Gael proposal is not site-specific. It includes consideration of a second airport located outside Dublin city, possibly in adjacent counties and serving the greater Dublin area. Bord na Móna has said it has thousands of hectares of publicly-owned land available for the purpose. This would make a new airport an attractive economic proposition compared with the unsustainable expansion of Dublin Airport on a site worth €5 million a hectare. There can be do doubt that all these options need to be properly assessed as both parties in the alternative coalition government, Fine Gael and Labour, now demand. - Yours, etc, MATTHEW HARLEY, Martello Court, Portmarnock, Co Dublin. |
